It's Always Been You
by lifecouldbeworse
Summary: Bulla, Trunks, Pan, and Goten are exactly how you'd think they'd be as young adults. Bulla, the beautiful academic; Trunks, the confident bachelor; Pan, the stunning yet tenacious warrior; and Goten, the mischievous and frustratingly charming underachiever. Did you really think these four could have ever fallen in love with anyone else?
1. Chapter 1

_A lighthearted, heartwarming tale about friendship, family, but most of all, love. With a little sexual tension sprinkled in, of course, because all the best stories have it. :)_

 _When I watched the new Dragonball movies and realized that the kids are now much closer in age than they were previously, I decided it was time to finally write a story that would seem a tad more realistic! Ages are estimates only, of course._

 _Trunks: 29_

 _Goten: 28_

 _Pan: 20_

 _Bulla:19_

 _Includes new movies, excludes events from Super and GT._

 _As an aside: I'll possibly change up the POV over time, depending on where the story takes us.:)_

 _I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

"Bulla… _Bulla_!"

I snapped out of my daydream, suddenly acutely aware of the three hundred pairs of eyes resting on me.

"Uh… er…" I glanced up at the screen, then down at my neighbor's notes; it appeared as though the professor had posted an equation and had asked the class to solve it.

I sighed, as I often did when called out by professors. Both my brother and I had inherited our mother's talent for math and science. It seemed only natural, then, that I follow in their footsteps- I _certainly_ wasn't going to follow in my dad's- and that meant getting a degree.

I quickly solved the problem in my head- my neighbour had gotten the wrong result- and gave the answer aloud.

The professor gave one curt nod, and carried on with his lecture.

It seemed as though all of the professors at university were split down the middle; half were excited to have such a gifted student in their class, and the rest seemed resentful to have a student who succeeded with such little effort.

I got a nudge from my neighbor. "Smooth," she whispered.

I smiled, and replied in a hushed voice, "Just be glad he didn't call on you!"

Pan couldn't help but smile in response. "Math isn't my thing. I'm only in this class 'cause dad basically forced me to."

The professor cleared his throat, glaring in our direction.

I gave him an apologetic smile, and flipped open my notebook- probably for the first time all semester.

 _You can't blame him for poo-pooing your kung-fu dream when there hasn't been a threat to earth in ages,_ I wrote.

Pan glanced at the page and rolled her eyes. She'd stopped correcting me about the 'kung-fu' thing once she realized I only ever said it to bug her. She grabbed her pen.

 _I hope you know how awesome you'd be at martial arts if you'd just give it a shot._

I shrugged. Pan was jealous- not of anything I've actually achieved (she couldn't care less about the world of academia), but of my 'fighting potential.' Blah blah Saiyan blood blah blah Vegeta's daughter blah.

It's just not my thing.

Apparently, both my mom and dad gave me the option to start training at an early age. I'd jumped at the chance to learn to fly- what kid wouldn't?!- but when it came to the fighting portion, I just wasn't into it.

When I started junior high, my mom suggested I learn some basic self-defense, which I reluctantly agreed to… but that just further solidified my decision to stay away from the martial arts.

First of all, my dad is a shitty teacher. I adore the man, but he's not exactly patient. Enough said.

Second, the gravity chamber is actually disgusting. It gets cleaned nightly, but it still reeks of B.O. and the lighting is creepy. And it's always filled with nearly-naked men who I'm either related to or might as well be. I can't spend more than five minutes in there.

Third, I don't really see the point. As I remind Pan (constantly!), there's not exactly a looming threat to earth at the moment. I'm strong enough to defend myself against creepy human men- so any time spent training is time spent away from studying. If I expect to be co-CEO of Capsule Corp some day, I need some truly useful life skills.

"Read chapter twenty-three before class next week. I expect all of you to be familiar with the material during discussion period! Enjoy your weekend, everyone!"

I packed my bag and followed the crowd of students out of the lecture hall, then turned my phone on to check for any missed calls. It was Friday night- hopefully there was something going on…

A text from Trunks:

 _Are these leftovers in the fridge yours? I'm eating them._

Delete.

Two texts from my mom:

 _Hey hun, I've got a dinner meeting tonight. Trunks is coming with. Ask dad to order in for you guys._

Delete.

 _Dad says he won't be home for dinner. I'm not sure about Grandma and Grandpa. I'll leave my card on the table for you._

Delete.

And one from Marron:

 _When are you guys done class? Wanna meet for pizza later?_

I turned to Pan, but it looked like she'd already gotten the same text. She groaned.

"Ugh… I can't make it. I just got a text from my mom, saying that we're going for dinner at my grandparent's tonight." She quickly texted back, declining the offer.

Before I could make a decision either way, my phone buzzed. Marron again.

 _Nvm. Dad just told me that Goku invited us over for dinner. Don't you just love short notice?!_

I smiled, and my phone buzzed in my hand once more.

 _Hey hun. Chi Chi just called and said they're doing a dinner. I told her we can't make it, and Grandma and Grandpa aren't going, but you're welcome to! Can you give her a call to let her know either way? Just heading into a meeting now. Love you!_

I turned to Pan to fill her in, but she was already rolling her eyes. "They are _so_ unorganized. I bet Grandpa's only job today was to invite everyone over, and he left it til 4:30 p.m."

I smiled; it was part of Goku's charm. "Call your grandma and tell her we're coming! Do you want a ride? I just have to quickly stop at home first."

Pan nodded. "I'll never turn down a ride in the pouring rain!"

"You know… if you got a job, rather than training all day, you might actually be able to afford your own car," I reminded her.

"Yeah, right. Ain't gonna happen. And hey, isn't the lecture portion of my day supposed to be over?"

We both laughed, then headed outside, capsule in hand.

* * *

"I have _nothing_ to wear!" I groaned.

Pan snorted. "Bulla… it's a family dinner. It's not like there's gonna be any hot guys there. Wear sweatpants if you want!"

I turned away quickly, hoping she wouldn't see the colour rise in my cheeks. "Have you _ever_ seen me in sweatpants? They don't really do it for me." I grabbed a pair of dark jeans, a blank tank, and a plum coloured cardigan from my closet. "Do these match?" I asked, holding them up.

Pan looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "I don't know. It's jeans and a sweater. You know you look good _in everything_ \- I'm sure it will be fine for a casual family dinner."

I bit my lip and looked at the clock; we were supposed to be at Goku's place in an hour. I could already feel the butterflies looming in the pit of my stomach.

"Okay, whatever, you're right. I'll quickly get changed and then we can go." I threw the outfit on, touched up my lipgloss and mascara in the bathroom, then ran to the east wing of the house.

"Grandma! Grandpa! I'm going! Bye!"

"Bye, honey! Have a fun time," I heard my grandma call from somewhere down the hallway.

I found Pan, and together we hopped in the car and began the long drive to Goku and Chi Chi's.

* * *

"Okay everyone, make room!" Chi Chi instructed, placing a vat of rice in the middle of the table. "Boys! Let the ladies go first!"

Goku and his sons had begun reaching for the spoon before the pot had even been set down, earning all three of them a whack to the head.

I kept my head bowed, simultaneously trying to stare at and avoid eye contact with the person sitting across from me. (If you think that sounds impossible... you're right). But I seriously can't help myself. I've tried.

Sigh…

I should probably explain.

Long story short: I have a major crush on Goten. It ain't gonna work out.

Long story long:

It ain't gonna work out because:

Goten thinks of me as his second little niece (as he likes to remind me… often).

Goten does not realize I am 19. As a matter of a fact, he likes to emphasize how young Pan and I are, probably because it makes him feel like a hotshot. This started a few years ago and has gotten increasingly annoying with each passing year.

Goten could have any hot, 20-something woman he wants. He has no interest in a 19 year old nerd.

Goten says he doesn't like hanging out with me because I'm 'too smart' (even though he hangs out with Trunks constantly… just saying).

Goten is big into martial arts. I'm not.

My dad would have a heart attack and die.

Goten lives like an hour away in the middle of nowhere.

Goten has no serious job prospects, which my mom always stresses the importance of, even though she ended up with a guy who hasn't contributed a thing to society since before I was born.

And honestly, probably the biggest reason it won't work out, is, well…

"Hey babe, could you pass me the sauce?" Goten asked, as the stunningly gorgeous woman sitting next to him picked up a bowl and handed it over.

I took a deep breath. Okay, so his girlfriend wasn't exactly _serious-_ they'd been doing the on-again, off-again thing for a few years. Still- she was a crazy hot, ridiculously sweet, super successful pharmaceutical rep who the entire family absolutely adored.

"Hey Bulla, Pan! How was school? You have class together on Fridays, right?"

I smiled. Leave it to her to be so thoughtful that she actually remembers little details about her boyfriend's family.

"It was shit," Pan said, earning herself a stern look from Gohan. "Sorry. It sucked. I am _horrible_ at math."

"Yeah... she really is," I agreed, earning some chuckles from around the table. "It was good, though. It's one of those classes where the group work counts for a huge chunk of the grade, or else I probably wouldn't go. The professor is a total idiot."

"Of course you'd still go!" Pan exclaimed. "Who else would let me copy their notes!?"

Everyone giggled, but quickly quieted down when they noticed Gohan and Videl's expressions.

"I hope you know that you're only hurting yourself when you copy Bulla's assignments," Videl scolded. "Dad is _happy_ to help you with your homework, but you never ask!"

"Okay, mom, I was just making a joke. Now's not the time for a lecture," Pam muttered, staring at her plate.

"Yeah, well, Gohan's a total nerd, so I don't blame Pam for wanting to focus on her training like the _cool_ members of her family!" Goten piped in, which got everyone laughing again.

"Trunks is a total nerd," Gohan reminded him. "You still think _he's_ cool."

"That's because Trunks doesn't act like a lame-o. Neither does Bulma. This one, on the other hand…" he gestured toward me, snickering. "Hey, Gohan, maybe the two of you should hang out more!"

I felt the heat rise in my face; first, because he'd called me lame, and second, because he insinuated something between me and his own _brother_ , of all people.

I kept quiet, but Gohan just shook his head, unperturbed. "No, maybe _you_ and Bulla should hang out more. Hopefully you'd learn a thing or two?"

I blushed even more at this, especially as people began to "Oooooooh"- including Goten's girlfriend, which actually sucked more than anything else. She obviously didn't see me as even the tiniest bit of a threat if she found the joke so hilarious.

"Nah, I get enough tween time babysitting my own niece," he joked, winking at Pan.

"Whatever makes you feel better," Pan replied. "Everyone knows that _I'm_ the one babysitting you and Trunks whenever we train."

"Is that so?" Goten's girlfriend asked. "What exactly goes on at these little training sessions?"

"Absolutely nothing, my dear," Goten replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head.

"Is that right? So, you wouldn't mind me coming with you one of these days?"

"Not one bit! We're training tomorrow afternoon! You might want to bring a friend, though. You'll find that it's extremely boring to watch."

"Oh lord. For the millionth time, stop trying to play wingman! I'm not going to encourage _any_ of my friends to date playboy-of-the-century Trunks Briefs!"

I couldn't help but smile at that. "How about I tag along?" I asked. "I _promise_ I won't start dating Trunks." More laughter. "Anyone else want to join?"

"Sure, I'll come!" Exclaimed Goku, excitedly.

"That means my dad will probably want to go too, then," I said.

"I'm not able to keep up with you guys anymore, so I'll pass on this one," said Krillin.

"Yeah, and I'd probably try to date Trunks if I went," sighed Marron, smiling. Since they were kids, everyone had placed bets on which of the boys would end up with sweet little Marron, and she still joked about being in love with both of them whenever the subject was brought up. But she was as uninterested in fighting as I was, so I assumed a day spent in the mountains, watching a sparring session, was not exactly appealing.

"What about you, Gohan?" Goku asked hopefully.

He shook his head in reply. "I've got a big meeting on Monday morning. I can't make it." Goku nodded, clearly disappointed.

"Well, that settles it, then!" Goten exclaimed. "I can't wait!"

* * *

I pried my eyes open at the sound of Trunks' ringtone coming from down the hall.

What was Trunks doing upstairs, rather than in his own suite? Whatever. I didn't care enough to ask. I wrapped myself in my duvet like a cocoon, trying to drown out the noise. I had _just_ about fallen back asleep when I was jolted awake by a knock on my door.

"What?!" I croaked.

The door flung open. "Bulla, what the hell?! You think you could have maybe told me about the plans you made last night?"

I shielded my eyes from the light that poured in through the door. "Huh? What plans?"

"About how our training session somehow turned into a family fun day?!"

"Who cares?" I asked, groggily. My voice was muffled by the duvet. "Dad and Goku are coming. So what?"

"You forgot about how you somehow turned it into a spectator sport!"

"What is your _problem_?!"

"You and Nadine are watching!"

"…And? Your point? Nadine invited herself. I said I'd tag along for company. She didn't want to bring one of her own friends, because she knew you'd show off and look like a total fucking idiot."

"You're literally the most annoying human being on this planet."

I couldn't believe how ridiculous he was acting. "Fine, fine. She said she didn't want to subject any of her friends to your man-whore tendencies. You can't blame her for that."

I heard the door slam, followed by some dramatic stomping that gradually diminished in volume until it finally disappeared.

I had just about fallen asleep- again- when my door was flung open a second time.

"CLOSE THE DO-"

"What did you say?!"

I snapped my mouth shut. That was _not_ Trunks. Oops.

"Sorry, daddy."

"Bulla. Did Kakarot say he was training with the boys today?"

Shit. Oops again.

"Yeah…"

"Did you say that I would be joining them as well?"

I gulped. "Yeah…."

"Don't you think that might be the sort of information I'd like to know?!"

I sat up in bed. "You know what dad? You _and_ your son can both drop whatever attitude you woke up with this morning. I'm not gonna just waltz in to your gravity chamber- or wherever you were by the time I got home last night- and fill you in on our dinner convo. If you'd stop being so anti-social for once and actually came with me, you would have known about it!"

I wasn't usually so bitchy, but I hadn't had my morning coffee yet. "And by the way, I didn't _tell_ them you'd be going. I said you'd probably want to join once you heard Goku was going. But it's not my responsibility to fill you in on Goku's schedule. So cool your jets."

"Cool my… what?" my dad growled, in the most non-threatening way possible.

"Your jets. Relax. Calm down. Let's be real- it's not like you had a super hectic schedule today. I don't think we're leaving til noon anyway. I'll drive us over."

My dad scoffed. "We aren't driving. You can't reach our training area by vehicle. We'll be flying."

I made a face. "I haaaate flyng," I whined. "It messes up my hair, and I have to wear like fifty jackets just so I don't freeze to death. Can I take the plane?"

My dad gave me an extremely unimpressed look in response, which I couldn't help but smile at, and he walked out.

I decided to get up at that point, since it was now nearly ten o'clock, and I _desperately_ needed all the time I could get to properly primp myself before the big outing.

I didn't bother changing out of the shorts and tank top I wore to bed- everyone in my family is an early riser, so nobody would be in the kitchen anyway- but I washed my face and brushed my teeth before leaving my room. I put my long hair into a messy bun on the top of my head- I would need to spend _at least_ an hour making it perfect later that morning- and tucked my feet into some slippers before heading downstairs.

Once in the kitchen, I padded toward the giant fridge, opened it up, and began to dig through the bottom shelf to find some fruit. All of a sudden, and with no warning, I heard a voice that sent shivers down my spine exclaim, "Ay, caramba!"

I jumped about a hundred feet in the air, whipped around, and covered my braless chest with one hand while tugging my shorts down over my behind with the other.

"No! Get away from me, jailbait!" Goten joked, covering his eyes (but not his smile).

I couldn't choke anything out, other than, "what the _hell_ are you doing here?!"

That just caused Goten to start laughing. "Don't worry, kid, I'm not looking. I'm just here to grab a snack. Outta my way!"

He uncovered his eyes and walked toward the fridge. He didn't seem the slightest bit flustered- and he _certainly_ wasn't trying to peek at anything from the neck down.

I moved off to the side and crossed my arms while he did his thing. Was it wrong that I was slightly… disappointed? I gave my head a shake. Yes. It was wrong. Very, very wrong. He was acting like a gentleman... either that, or he truly did not care to see.

"You know, you shouldn't just waltz in here unannounced," I scolded.

"Really? I've waltzed into your house unnanounced practically every day that you've been alive, and you've never complained before. Besides, everyone else will be here soon. Dad's coming over in a bit, with Pan, I think. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone I saw your jammies."

I furrowed my brow. _Jammies_. Why did he insist on treating me like a little kid?

I tapped my foot on the ground impatiently, which earned me a raised eyebrow from Goten.

"Can I help you?"

"You're in my way."

"You've got a big fridge. We can share."

I held my breath. How on earth was I supposed to grab anythning while both of my hands were… otherwise occupied?

Goten looked back into the fridge, digging around, seemingly oblivious to my dilemma.

I was feeling extra confrontational- probably due to the three idiots I'd had to deal with already that morning- which also made me more confident than usual.

I let my arms dangle, tried to get rid of the redness in my cheeks, gathered up whatever courage I had before it disappeared, and walked back toward the fridge. I stood next to Goten, leaned over, looked straight ahead, and joined him in the search for breakfast.

In my periphery, I could see his head begin to tilt- ever so slightly- in my direction. I leaned over a little further.

I'd been playing this little game with Goten since I hit puberty; gather up my courage, attempt to show him that I wasn't a child anymore, see if he'd take the bait, and then...

Well, I don't know what would happen then. He'd never once taken the bait. Not even close, to be honest.

"What are you looking for?" He asked, still cool as a cucumber.

"Hmmmm. Not sure yet," I replied, trying to keep my voice as level as his.

My heart was beating a mile a minute. My stomach felt like it would erupt with butterflies any second; needless to say, my appetite had completely disappeared. My palms were hot. If it weren't for the cool air blowing on my face, I knew it would be red as a tomato.

As I leaned, I felt the front of my tank top fall, though it was still less revealing than some of my regular outfits were- nothing he hadn't seen before. Although, without the help of a bra, he might be able to see more than usual. I had no idea if he was actually looking- but if he wasn't yet, he was about to. "Excuse me," I murmured. "I just need to grab something from the bottom shelf."

For the first time ever, he didn't give me some stupid response- he just took a few steps back. I leaned forward just a little more, causing the hem of my shorts to ride up, up, up…

Suddenly, a cupboard door slammed behind us.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Nadine chirped, holding the hand towel close to her. "I didn't mean to see you like this, Bulla! Don't worry, I'm not looking!"

I had jumped about a mile in the air at the sound of the cupboard door closing, only to see Goten's girlfriend, looking like a supermodel, _standing in my kitchen_.

"Trunks just asked me to grab a few extra towels because he accidentally dropped his coffee, but I had no idea you were in here! I really didn't mean to intrude!"

My hands had resumed their rightful place- covering myself up. "It's... it's okay," I stammered.

"Don't worry about it, babe," Goten reassured her. I glanced in his direction- he didn't seem the least bit startled by her sudden apperance. "I did the exact same thing when I came to grab us some grub. She should only be a second. I'm sure she's just grabbing some Cheerios!" He winked at me, smiling like always, not even attempting to sneak a peek.

I couldn't bring myself to smile at his really-not-funny joke. "You know what? Don't worry about it. You guys go ahead. I'm just going to hop in the shower, then I'll catch up with you in a bit." I turned around and walked upstairs- but unfortunately could still overhear their voices.

"Gosh, she must be so embarrassed," Nadine said. "I feel just awful. I wouldn't want anyone to see _me_ right after I roll out of bed…."

"To be honest with you, hun," Goten said, in a tone I'd never heard before, " _I_ wouldn't want anyone else to see you then, either. Because I think you look _so_ incredibly-"

I sprinted up the rest of the stairs, two at a time, hoping my heavy footsteps would drown out the rest of their conversation. I had almost made it to my bedroom, when I was- you guessed it- interrupted for the fifth time that morning.

Can a girl get some privacy in her own house?!

"Hey, honey… could I talk to you for a sec?"

I shrugged. It was getting late, but whatever- no need to doll myself up now, not when Goten had already seen me looking so awful.

"Can we go into your room? It's kind of… well…"

I walked into my room and laid on my bed, looking up at my mom expectantly.

"Bulla, have you noticed- well, have you spoken to Trunks recently?"

I shrugged again. "He barged into my room this morning and had a total freakout, but I wouldn't exactly call that a conversation."

She furrowed her brow, looking concerned. "That's what I'm talking about. He's seemed so… _on edge_ lately. He didn't eat a thing at dinner last night, and barely spoke to anyone. I'm worried he's having second thoughts about Capsule Corp."

I rolled my eyes. Trunks had been having second thoughts about Capsule Corp since the first time he'd had sex. He loved the playboy lifestyle too much to completely devote himself to such a huge company. He loved the money that came with it, but hated the hours.

"Well, obviously, mom. Duh. But that's nothing new. There's no reason why he should be acting like such a dickhead because of it, though. Especially because those dinner parties are one of his favorite perks of the job."

My mom leaned on my dresser, a pensive look in her eyes. "That's what I can't quite figure out. Then again, I did say that I'd offer him the co-CEO role when he turned thirty, which is coming up rather quicky-"

"WHAT?!" I screamed, jolting out of bed. "I didn't know about that!"

"Well, honey, you're not an employee. Of course you didn't know."

"But you're grooming me to be an employee. You're grooming me to be _CEO_!"

"And? This is business, not personal. Once you graduate, and begin working for Capsule Corp, I'll be having the same conversations with you."

"I can't believe this."

"Believe what? You thought I wouldn't promote Trunks until you were old enough to take over together? How on earth would that be a smart business decision? He and I will run the company together for a few years, until I feel he has a good enough handle on things. Then, once you show you're ready, I will _probably_ let you take my place, and I will step down. Just like Grandpa did for me."

My head was spinning. How could I not have known about this?! Trunks didn't even take Capsule Corp seriously!

"Well, Trunks does turn 30 next month. I guess it makes sense that he'd be freaking out. I'm freaking out myself." I sat down and looked away, hurt.

"Bulla, don't act like a spoiled brat. If you don't think my decision is a smart one, then that proves to me that you aren't cut out to be making big decisions yet."

I had no response.

"Dad told me you guys were going out today. Is that right?"

I nodded.

"Can you try and talk to Trunks? You might get a better response than I could. I can't offer him the position if I don't know what's going on inside that brain of his."

"Yeah, sure, I'll talk to him. No idea when we'll get a minute alone together, though."

My mom smiled. "Well, you're flying, aren't you? That seems like as good a time as any!"

I smiled back. "Sure, sure. I'm sorry for freaking out, by the way. It's been… a weird day."

She laughed. "I knew something must have been up when I saw you out of bed by ten in the morning on a Saturday!

* * *

Waterproof makeup: check. (My eyes water when I fly.)

Ponytail, plus an entire can of hairspray: check.

Fleece lined leggings, boots, tank top, sweater, jacket, scarf: check.

I was ready to go.

I walked to Trunks' suite and let myself in. He was alone, chugging a glass of water.

"What's up?" I asked. "Where is everyone?"

"I think they're outside," he responded, tossing his glass in the sink. "I was just about to join them."

"Cool." I paused. "Hey, Trunks…"

"I'm sorry about earlier."

"Huh?"

"About how I freaked out. I overreacted. Sorry."

I narrowed my eyes. Something was fishy about this. "Why are you being nice?"

"I'm a nice person." He cracked a smile.

"You feel bad for me. Why do you feel bad for me? What happened?"

He smiled wider- a _knowing_ smile.

"THEY TOLD YOU?!" I shrieked, which just caused Trunks to burst out laughing.

"Listen, I'd be embarrassed too. Standing up next to Nadine, looking like a homeless person? How humiliating."

I punched him in the shoulder. "You're an asshole. So is Goten."

"Goten isn't the asshole here. You were the one who basically tried to _flash_ him- OW!"

I haven't been trained in martial arts, but apparently my dad was crazy strong when I was conceived, so that means I can be really strong when I feel like it…. or something. Pan tries to explain it to me sometimes. Basically, it means if I get angry enough, my punches can actually hurt Trunks. Score.

"What did they tell you?!" I demanded, a fire burning in my belly.

"Well, Nadine asked Goten what exactly was going on, and he said he was digging through the fridge, minding his own business, when you walked right up next to him and made yourself cozy. That's when he stepped back- because, you know, _awkward_ \- and you decided to grab something from the _very_ bottom shelf, just as Nadine was walking in."

I was speechless. I could not believe how much Goten had twisted the story. But _why_?

"Are… are you okay?" asked Trunks, the smile disappearing from his face.

"I'm kind of humiliated, to be honest," I told him truthfully. I wanted to tell him what really happened- but that would only make me look even _more_ pathetic, in his eyes.

Trunks put an arm around my shoulders. "Don't worry about it, sis. Who cares what Goten thinks? That guy's an idiot."

I half-smiled. "You don't believe him, do you?"

"Hell no! I know you're much too intelligent to ever have a thing for Goten. Besides, you could get respectable, smart kid your own age- why would you go for a loser like him?"

This actually made me feel better, in a funny kind of way- and I started to cheer up. "Thanks Trunks. You're right. But could you do me a favour?"

"Maybe. Depends what it is."

"Can we try and nip this ridiculous story in the bud before it gets out? The last thing _anyone_ needs is dad getting the crazy idea that I like Goten."

Trunks laughed out loud. "No kidding! I don't want a dead man on our hands. You'd probably be dead, too, or at least locked up for the rest of your life. I'll make sure he doesn't find out."

My smile faltered slightly. "Thanks."

He nodded. "We should probably get going. Goku just got here with Pan."

One thing that would be cool, I decided, is learning how to detect power levels. Maybe I'd ask him to teach me some day. "Awesome. Let's go."

* * *

Flying is like riding a bike- you never really forget. I was able to keep up okay with the rest of them- even though I knew they were slowing down, for my sake. And possibly Goten's, too, since he was carrying Nadine.

Dad, as usual, flew alone at the front; Goten had Goku on one side, Trunks on the other; and I was at the back, next to Pan.

"What's wrong?" Pan asked.

Damn that girl. "Nothing's wrong."

"Yeah, let's not do this. I know something's up. You're not talking, and you love talking."

I chose my words carefully. Saiyans have _gigantic_ ears. "There was… an awkward moment, this morning."

"Really? What happened?"

"I went downstairs in my pajamas, and was surprised to see Goten. And Nadine."

I looked at Pan; she had one eyebrow raised. "…So?"

Pan was _gorgeous_. Dark hair, dark eyes, porcelain skin. She never wore any makeup, and didn't need to. Her hair was thick, straight, and hung perfectly down her back. She woke up looking like a model. Of course she didn't understand my humiliation.

My bright hair is thinner than hers, and needs a lot of work to stay looking healthy and long (my mom, who I inherited my hair from, actually got a perm to try and minimize the amount of work required- then chopped it all off shortly after in frustration). I wear makeup to give my pale skin some colour, and my eyelashes match my hair, so obviously, eyeliner and mascara are necessities.

Having my hair tied in a knot on top of my head, having my bare face on display, and wearing clothes that I would never want to be caught in public wearing: not my best look. Actually, significantly worse than my best look.

"Well… I wasn't exactly decent, and Goten and I had a bit of an exchange… basically, he wanted to get a good laugh out of Nadine and Trunks, so he made up a story that made me look like an idiot."

Pan still didn't look at all sympathetic. "But who cares what _they_ think? It's not like they're friends with our friends. The story isn't going to 'get out'. Just add it to the long list of reasons why they're the most immature pair of man-children in this universe. And as for Nadine…" she glanced in her direction. "Nadine is the nicest person in the world. I bet she didn't even laugh when Goten told the story. She probably got mad at him for even saying it."

I sighed. She was right. Nadine probably scolded Goten and told him to be nicer to his cute, adorable, little almost-niece with the blue hair and tiny boobs and fluffy slippers. (Okay, my boobs aren't tiny. But they sure has hell aren't as amazing as Nadine's D-cups. I've checked them out a few times).

Pan interpreted my sigh as the end of the conversation, and pulled forward to fly beside her grandpa.

Trunks floated back beside me, and checked in to see if I was alright. I assured him that I was.

"You know, the more you fly, the more you'll get used to it," he informed me for the billionth time.

I ignored his comment. "Hey Trunks… you know how you do the power level thing? Where you can sense where people are, how strong they are… do you think you could teach me that?"

Trunks looked at me in surprise. "Wow. I never thought I'd hear you say _those_ words. Honestly, though… I don't think I could. I don't think anyone could. You don't even understand your own power level- how could you assess someone else's?"

I nodded. "I guess that makes sense."

I had a feeling he could sense my disappointment. "I know you learned to fly when you were really little… but do you remember what we taught you?"

I shook my head. "Not really… no."

"That's okay. When we fly, it's a result of us focusing our energy in a certain way. Energy and power… they're kind of the same thing. You being able to focus your energy shows me that you know how to harness your power, at least a little bit. You just need more practice, that's all."

"Practice… doing what?"

"Practice controlling your energy. Pushing yourself to the limit, and seeing what that feels like. Dialling it back, and seeing what _that_ feels like. Once you understand your own, you'll be able to understand others."

"All that… just to be able to tell when Goku and Pan show up?"

Trunks laughed. "Well, pretty much. All we're doing is sensing their energy. To be honest, I don't really know how to do it, either. I just do it. Goten and I learned when we were so young- back when Majin Buu was still bad. Then again, we had already been fighting for so long… maybe it was easier for us to learn. I don't know."

This was the first time I'd had a conversation like this with my brother in ages. Even though we were discussing something as simple as power levels… I could see the passion in his eyes.

"Hey Trunks… I spoke to mom."

His expression froze.

"She told me… about your promotion. Next month."

At this, Trunks seemed to relax a bit. "Yeah… it's been in the works for a while. I'm really excited."

"Are you?"

Trunks looked at me. "Yeah… I am. I'm nervous, but not because I'm worried about screwing anything up. I've been training for this since… well, forever. Plus, I'll be mom's partner, so…"

"Still, it's a big job." I was determined to dig up whatever was bugging him.

"Yeah, it is. Not to sound cocky, but I don't think I'd do well working for a smaller corporation. I know I can do it, and I know I can make it better… somehow…" he trailed off. "All in good time."

I left it at that. He really didn't seem stressed; not to me, anyway. Maybe he was just really good at putting on a façade. I decided to work more on him later.

"It's just up ahead," he told me, pointing to a cleaning a few hundred feet to the right. "You're still good with landing?"

I nodded, and followed the group down to the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi everyone! Thanks for the reviews, follows, & favourites. I think I'll switch to a different POV next chapter- who would you guys like to see? Let me know!_

 _Enjoy :)_

* * *

"Well, you sure clean up okay!" Goten said, walking toward me with a goofy grin.

"I do what I can," was my curt response.

He looked at me with a confused expression, but appeared to think better of pressing the issue. "Thanks for hanging with the lady friend while we do our thing," he said. "She probably won't see much, but I'm glad she's here. She's never watched me fight before."

"Neither have I, really," I said. "You guys move too fast for my eyes, too."

He just looked at me. "You know, come to think of it, you could probably be an incredible fighter if you wanted- stronger than any of the kids. Vegeta was-"

"Super crazy powerful when they had me? Yeah, I know. Thanks for the info."

Goten furrowed his brows. "Bulla… did I-"

"Hey Bulla!" Nadine called out, running toward me. She draped an arm over Goten's shoulders. "I just wanted to apologize again for earlier. I was trying to keep quiet to avoid the embarrassment, but I should have spoken up sooner- I was wrong. You don't have to forgive me if you don't want."

"It's okay," I said, knowing (unfortunately) that her apology was sincere. "I mean, everyone wears pajamas, right?"

Apparently, that was the worst thing I could have possibly said, because Nadine went beet red and Goten just grinned his stupid grin. I tried to contain my urge dry heave as I walked back toward Pan.

"Everything cool?" she asked, taking off her jacket to reveal her training clothes.

I pursed my lips. I guess she wore the same kind of black spandex my dad and Trunks had- the stuff my mom designed. Except, you know, it hugged every curve in the best possible way. "Pan…. I seriously hate you for not showing off your body more," was all I said in response to her question.

She laughed. "How come? For who? I don't think any guy could handle me, anyway. I don't really want a boyfriend who's so much weaker than I am."

I shook my head. "We were born into the wrong bodies, weren't we?"

"TELL ME ABOUT IT! I would kill to have your fighting potential!" She smiled. "But seriously, Bulla, you need to stop thinking that I'm the hot one. You're stunning. It's exhausting to need to keep convincing you!"

I laughed, and so did she; I may have inherited almost everything from my mom, but I certainly didn't inherit her... uh... _confidence_ in her appearance. I knew I wasn't hideous- I just wasn't the 'stop-you-in-your-tracks' kind of beautiful that Pan was. I gave her a quick hug, wished her luck, and headed off.

On my way back to find Nadine, I passed Trunks.

"Hey!" I told him. "I think I'm going to do it!"

"Do what?" He asked. His mind suddenly seemed somewhere else.

"I'm going to learn about power levels. I'm going to ask dad for help."

"That's good," was his only response, and he continued walking away.

That was weird. Why was he acting this way again, all of a sudden? Maybe I interrupted his 'warm-up, getting in the zone' thing.

I spotted my dad about fifteen feet away, and ran toward him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, dad! I've got a favour to ask you later. Don't let me forget, kay?"

He nodded, saying nothing (not that I ever expect him to), then turned around, heading toward a shaded area to sit by himself before the training began. Huh. Maybe Trunks was just becoming more like my dad, and nothing weird was going on at all.

I felt a pat on my head, and whipped around to see Goku walking by. "Glad you could make it, Bulla! I'll go easy on your dad so he doesn't get embarrassed in front of his daughter!" He smiled his goofy smile (the same one Goten had), and I couldn't help but laugh as I noticed the very obvious glare he was receiving from my dad.

I found a spot off to the side, and Nadine sat down next to me, smiling. "I can't wait to watch the boys go at it," she told me. "I mean, I always knew how important training was to Goten, but I don't actually know what they _do_."

"It's pretty cool, actually, if you don't mind violence. From what I've seen, they don't always go easy on each other."

She shrugged. "I don't enjoy violence, but I'm okay with it, if they're two consenting adults just choosing to be stupid."

I laughed. "That's _exactly_ what it is- but don't let them hear you call it stupid. Hey, let's go find a better spot. I have a feeling these fights will move to the air quite quickly."

I don't have crazy super strength, by any means, but carrying a hundred-pound-girl up a few dozen feet was no big deal. We found a clearing far enough away from the action that we figured we'd be safe, and sat down in the grass.

"I didn't know you could fly," Nadina said, as the trainers began their warm up. "I thought… well, I thought-"

"That only the fighters could do it?" I smiled. "My dad taught me as a kid, I think, and I just never really forgot how. It's not the most pleasant means of transportation, but if traffic's really bad, it's a good backup option."

She smiled. "To be a Saiyan…"

"It's not just Saiyans. Videl can fly; she actually learned the same day that Goten did. So can Krillin, and 18, of course. And Yamcha, Tien…"

She looked like she was concentrating, and I realized she was probably trying to match the names to faces. "There are a lot of us," I told her. "Basically, humans can fly, they just need to be taught how."

"Could I fly?" she asked, without skipping a beat.

This question completely threw me off, for some reason. "I… don't see why not, if you really wanted to. Has Goten ever offered?"

She shook her head. "He never even told me it was possible."

I shrugged. "I'd ask him, if I were you. Might be a fun date." I tried not to let my voice turn too venomous on the last word.

She nodded, not seeming to notice.

The fighters began their warm up on the ground below. They certainly moved slowly enough for untrained eyes to see; their technique, as always, took my breath away.

Even without an appreciation for martial arts, the raw talent of the boys, the grace with which they moved… it was never lost on me. While Pan continued to stretch, the two pairs began their battle.

While Trunks and Goten certainly seemed to be having fun, they were without a doubt taking the training seriously. My dad and Goku smiled less- it never ceased to amaze me how Goku turned into a completely different person when he fought- and each seemed incredibly focused on gaining the upper hand.

As I suspected, it didn't take long for things to get intense. My dad was acutely aware of where we were perched, but that didn't stop him from tearing apart the surrounding mountains.

The boys seemed less concerned with our safety as the fighting continued, earning a simultaneous "HEY!" from both my dad _and_ Goku when an errant ki blast missed our heads by less than ten feet.

"Sorry!" I heard Trunks call out, as Goten let out a chuckle.

"This is why they need a babysitter, I guess!" Nadine said, half-joking, half-terrified.

I nodded. "I know. It freaks me out, too. They just seem to get so lost in the fighting…"

And yet, so did I. Perhaps it was because I hadn't watched them in years- but they were good. _Really_ good. I realized, much too late, that I had been staring at Goten for a disproportionate amount of time.

His shirt was getting torn as he fought; his hair, usually tame, was wild. Though I couldn't see the expression in his eyes, I could see the look of determination on his face… his smile (the one that I hated half the time, and loved the other half) was gone, vanished, like it had never existed.

His movements were deliberate; strong, yet graceful. Even drenched in sweat, and calling out often, he looked peaceful, completely in his element.

"He looks beautiful, doesn't he," Nadine said, and I nodded in awe before realizing what I'd done.

"They all do," I added quickly, hoping she hadn't noticed my slip. "They're so talented. Wait til you see Pan. It looks like she's dancing when she fights."

Nadine gave no response, but looked at me intently. I smiled awkwardly, and turned my attention to my dad.

My dad and Goku looked even more incredible than the boys did, and yet, I found myself constantly stealing glances at Goten. His body was perfect, and I couldn't help but sigh as the final scraps of his shirt fell to the ground.

Pan, too, was watching the boys, but for a very different reason. She had a smile on her face that she wasn't trying to hide; she would get to fight the victor next.

The fight intensified to the point where I lost sight of all four of them, so I laid back on the grass, enjoying the cool breeze that blew over me. The rain clouds from yesterday had disappeared, and the sunshine was beginning to poke through the haze. After a few minutes, I heard a louder _crash_ than usual, and I sat up to see Goten getting up, slowly, with a wide grin on his face.

"Fine, fine, you win! I give up. I don't want to show up for work on Monday with any broken bones!"

"Hah! You suck, Uncle Goten. Sit back and let me show you how it's done!"

Goten ruffled Pan's hair as she ran past him, then flew up to join us in the clearing.

"Well? What'd you think?" He asked, still a little out of breath.

Nadine smiled. "It was amazing to see. You are incredible."

"Thanks, babe," Goten said, with a smile.

I turned back toward the ground, watching Pan and Trunks begin their sparring match.

"…Bulla?"

"Yeah?"

"What'd you think?"

I looked back up at him, trying to avoid looking at his half naked body. He still had the same quizzical look in his eye, but I could tell that he knew something was up. I shrugged.

"Like Nadine said. It was amazing. You always are."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could suck them right back up. To anyone else, it was a normal compliment, but to Goten… ugh. He would probably make some stupid, annoying joke, and say something like _"If you work hard, you can be just like me when you grow up!"_

I quickly fixed my gaze back on the ground, but the fighters had disappeared again.

"You think so?"

At this, both mine and Nadine's gaze snapped up to meet his. Goten never spoke to me that way… well, not since around the time I started high school. I didn't even know how to respond. Somehow, though, my voice remained level; I was surprised, but not nervous.

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "I do."

The silence lingered until Nadine grasped his arm and broke our gaze. "Of course she thinks so. How could anyone _not_ , after watching that?"

He smiled, but it wasn't his goofy grin, and his gaze returned to mine before I quickly looked away.

"So, I decided I want to learn to fly!" Nadine informed Goten.

"You don't need to fly when you've got me!" He responded. "Besides, you can't fly, silly girl."

"I can't? Bulla said I could. She said humans could fly, and that _you_ could teach me."

I continued to stare at the battlefield, although I could feel Goten's eyes burning into the side of my head.

"Wow. She did, eh? Hmmmm. I don't know about that. All those humans that _do_ fly… they have fighting backgrounds. Videl, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien… they practiced martial arts for years, mastering their skill before they began to learn. It might be difficult to teach someone who's never fought before. I wouldn't know where to begin."

Nadine nodded, disappointed but accepting. "Yeah, okay. That's fine. Anyway, should we pack up and head out?"

I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face.

"Er… head out? Where?"

"Well… you lost. We're done. Do you want to go?"

I kept staring straight ahead, trying to ignore the awkward silence.

"It's… it's not really a tournament, Nadine. We kind of just… take turns. I'll probably spar with Pan next, or maybe even my dad, if he's still walking after he finishes up with Vegeta."

"Oh." Silence. "How long is that?"

"I… don't really know. A few… hours, maybe? We usually head back around dinner time…"

More silence.

"You could always bring Nadine home, then come back," I reminded them, without looking up.

"If you don't mind, Goten, I just... I have a big pitch I have to prep for, and I haven't even really started, and I thought I'd have some time today to-"

"Sure."

I peeked up, and immediately found Goten's eyes, which were on me though he spoke to his girlfriend. "Sure thing, Nadine. I completely understand. Let's get you home. Are you coming back too, Bulla?"

I tilted my head to one side. Pan and Trunks were toying with each other; they'd be a while yet. "No… I think I'll stay."

By the time Goten returned, it was time for his fight with Pan. My dad had lost his round, and refused to fight anyone else but Goku- so Goku took Trunks, and my dad sat up with me while he sulked in silence.

"Hey dad," I said, enjoying the sunshine that was beginning to warm my face, "can I ask you a favour? You can say no if you want."

He grunted in response. I took that as a yes.

"I was talking with Trunks on the way over… about detecting power levels, and sensing energy, and all that. I told him I wanted to learn, and he told me I'd have to understand my own power first. Is that right, do you think?"

He didn't make a sound, so I glanced over at him. His eyes were glued to the fights. "Dad? What do you think?"

"I taught myself to detect power levels as an adult. I didn't even know it was possible to do so, until I met Kakarot."

I waited for further elaboration. I didn't get any.

"Okay, so… what would I need to do to learn how?"

"Your brother was correct. You will need some basic training. You're a bit old to begin. Trunks started when he was a child."

"Dad. I don't want to become some warrior princess. I just think it would be a neat trick to pick up. Do you think I can do it?"

He looked over at me, lifting one corner of his mouth. "As much as I detest the fact that you want to pick and choose which skills you learn, without appreciating the concept of fighting as a whole… yes, I think you can do it."

"You'll help me?"

A single nod. "But I won't bother unless you take it seriously."

"I promise I will! Yay! Thanks, daddy!" I wrapped my arm around him, even though I knew he hated it, and his gaze returned to the fights below. "Hey, could you also teach me how to watch the fights when they move this fast?"

He looked at me as if I'd just asked the stupidest question in the world. "It's the exact same skill, Bulla," he informed me. "It's just sensing energy."

Pan lost her fight, as did Trunks (obviously), but the two of them decided that their prior match was a tie, so they needed to go at it once more. This meant my dad hopped down to spar with Goku again, and Goten joined me in the clearing.

"What's going on?" he asked, immediately upon sitting down beside me.

I tried to play it off. I wasn't really in the mood to talk about it. _Especially_ when he was sweaty and shirtless.

"Oh, not much. What's going on with you?" I asked cooly.

He shook his head. "I'm really not interested in playing games with you, Bulla. Why don't you stop acting like a little kid and tell me what's going on?"

"Why _should_ I stop acting like a little kid?" I asked, raising my voice a bit too high. He looked taken aback. "Why should I? That's what I am, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about!? And why are you being so confrontational? Is this about what happened earlier?"

I shook my head and laid back in the grass. "No. It's not."

He stayed seated, legs crossed in front of him. "Okay… because it kinda seems like it could be."

My eyes closed; I knew I couldn't stay mad while looking into his eyes. "Trunks told me about what you said to them."

Silence. And then, "What did he tell you, exactly?"

"I presume everything you told them, although he may have withheld some particularly horrifying details in order to maintain a tiny shred of my dignity."

"I was just messing around. I was _joking_. I didn't mean any of it."

"Oh, bull _shit_ you didn't mean it!"

"Huh? How on earth could I have meant a story that I completely made up? I'm not _that_ conceited, Bulla. I have no illusions about what you think about me. I certainly do not think that you were trying to seduce me- I'm _pretty_ sure I would have noticed if you were."

I heard the smile in his voice, and I wanted to rip it off his face. I was so conflicted; on the one hand, I was mad because he had told people what I had done; on the other, I was mad because _he didn't even realize what I had been trying to do_.

Rather than say something stupid, I kept quiet.

"Don't worry, I didn't misinterpret anything that you were doing. I made all it up for a laugh, and I'm sorry. It was dumb, and immature. Nadine even smacked me afterward."

Of course she did.

I opened my eyes, and noticed that Goten had laid down beside me, propped up on one elbow. Beads of sweat dripped down his shoulders, arms, and back, over the muscles that were swollen from the strain. He was covered in streaks of dirt, and his hair flopped down in front of his eyes. He smiled, and handed me a flower he'd picked from the patch growing beside us- a peace offering.

I sighed. "You're forgiven," I told him, grabbing the flower and tucking it behind my ear. He smiled.

"Of course I am. You've always gotta forgive family! Glad we worked that out. Anyway, duty calls- or at least, Trunks is- see ya later!"

He jumped down the ledge to meet up with my brother. I grabbed the flower from behind my ear and tossed it down after him.

* * *

I decided not to go to Chi Chi's for dinner that night, so my dad and I went home once dusk rolled around. He kept pace with me, though flew in silence the entire way, but I was glad of it. I was a mess of emotions; I think he may have noticed.

When we got in, I didn't expect to see dinner made, as I'd told my mom that we were going to Goku's place afterward. My dad headed straight for the shower, and I went to the kitchen to put on a pot of boiling water. I wasn't much of a cook, but I could certainly make spaghetti.

I grabbed my phone- I didn't bring it with me, as I knew I wouldn't get reception anyway- and had only missed one text the entire day.

 _Hey kiddos- I'm in the lab tonight, so won't be around when you get in. Hope you had fun today!_

I didn't bother replying; she'd either already eaten dinner, or decided to work through it. Whatever the case, I knew better than to knock on the door of the lab while she was in there.

I tossed the pasta in the water once it came to a boil, and began heating some sauce on the stove. My dad wasn't picky- he'd eat anything, as long as it was edible and there was lots of it.

I strained the pasta, scooped myself a bowlful, and put the rest aside for my dad. He came in just as I was sitting down to eat. He, surprisingly, joined me at the table.

Watching a Saiyan eat is literally one of the most vile sights on this earth, so I won't go into detail, but let's just say he'd devoured his gigantic portion size before I'd finished my own bowl.

He stood up to grab a glass of water, but stayed in the kitchen to drink it.

"You're quiet," he observed, in his typical gruff tone of voice.

I nodded. "Yeah. A lot going on today."

When I didn't elaborate, he sat back down beside me.

"Just… you know, with the company and stuff. Trunks is thirty next month, and mom's making him co-CEO. Well, maybe. Depends if she can figure out what's going on with him."

He gave an uninterested "Hmph."

"And I'm looking forward to training with you again. I haven't been in your chamber for longer than a few minutes since I learned self-defense all those years ago. Remember how you got mad at me for not taking it seriously?"

He nodded, but didn't seem satisfied with that answer, either. We sat in silence for a few minutes longer, but not an uncomfortable one; he was simply waiting for me to continue.

I didn't.

"What happened with Kakarot's boy?"

My face flushed. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't eavesdrop… don't worry. I could just sense some… unease. Tension. I didn't like it."

I kept quiet. It was the only answer he needed.

"Bulla, I don't-" he cut himself off. "I've never interfered with your life; I always left that up to your mother. I did the same with Trunks, and at that time, it was the right decision... for everyone. But with you..." he paused again, choosing his words carefully. "I want you to know that if it were up to me, I would protect you from everything. But I've always made the conscious decision not to, and trusted that you would be able to protect yourself."

I was surprised by how much he'd said- he was a man of _extremely_ few words- and I didn't quite know how to respond to his cryptic message. Was this a blessing to do as I pleased? Or was he telling me to run from Goten, as fast as I could?

"Dad, I don't know what you think is going on, but I want you to know that it's not what you think. Goten has a girlfriend- she's the one I was sitting with. There's nothing going on- believe me." Goten had made that _quite_ clear.

He just looked at me then, and I knew that he could see right through me. I could fool anyone in this world, but never my father. My mom said that's why she fell for him.

"Goodnight, Bulla."

"Goodnight, dad."


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, okay... one more chapter of Bulla, because I wanted to give her story a bit more excitement before giving one of the others a turn! :)

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Pan and I had Wednesdays off, so we chose Tuesday night to grab pizza with Marron. We met downtown after she finished class; she was in her final year of university, while we were in our first.

"How was the super lame training day on Saturday, Bulla?" she asked, chowing down on her slice of pepperoni.

"Everyone has improved _so_ much since I last watched. It was actually amazing to see."

Marron looked impressed. "Damn. Maybe I'll have to come with next time. I'll wait til Goten and whats-her-face break up again first, so I can give both boys a fair share of attention!"

We laughed. Marron was adorable; she'd inherited her mom's bright blue eyes and blonde hair, and her dad's sense of humor and good-natured personality. She was an absolute 10/10, and could easily get any guy she wanted (including Trunks and Goten- but she'd shot them both down so many times over the years, they'd moved on and lost interest by their early twenties).

"What are you guys up to later? I don't have class til the afternoon tomorrow. Wanna go out?"

We both gave her a sour face in response. There weren't two people on this earth who disliked 'going out' more than myself and Pan, but Marron always gave it a shot.

It's not that we didn't drink; we'd go to parties and get-togethers and have a great time. But as far as nightclubs went… well, they were full of sweaty, gross, handsy creeps. Pan had been disappointed so many times by men, and fighting was her first love anyway, so she wasn't interested in meeting guys. And I, of course, was (unfortunately) devoted to someone else. Someone who didn't return those feelings of devotion, obviously, but still.

"Fine, fine," she sighed. "But let's do _something_. We could get a box of wine and play drinking games. Whaddaya think?"

My initial reaction was to say _no way_ \- because that was always my response- but I'd been feeling crappy since the unfortunate incident(s) on Saturday, and I was in the mood for a pick-me-up. "You know what? Count me in."

Marron seemed surprised, but excited. She looked at Pan hopefully.

"Uhhhh… well, I need to study, but I won't be doing that whether I go out tonight or not. So, I guess I'm in too."

Marron squealed. "Yay! We can go to your place, right, Bulla? My roommate is home, and Gohan's… Gohan."

"Of course!" I replied. "As if there was ever any question." My mom would either be in bed or in her lab, and I never needed to check with my dad before bringing guests over.

"Awesome. Okay, eat up, ladies. I _love_ spontaneous plans! We are going to have so much fun!"

* * *

Once we arrived back at my place, I led the girls to one of the rec rooms on the main floor, away from the gravity chamber, my mom's lab, and my grandparent's wing. I turned on the TV, flipped it to some cheesy romcom, and then went to the kitchen to grab some wine glasses.

I reached up to the top shelf of the cupboard, where the 'not-so-nice' glassware was kept. I didn't want to risk shattering any crystal during girls' night.

I lifted one knee up on the counter to reach, with no success. Just as I was making the decision to float up and grab what I needed, I heard a voice behind me that sent shivers down my spine.

"Well, well, well… we meet again!"

With one knee still perched on the counter, I turned around and looked him dead in the eye, unwilling to let him witness my unease. "Don't worry, Goten, I'm fully clothed this time. I won't try any funny business."

He sighed. "Bulla- I said I was sorry. Can't we let it go and move on? You're no fun when you're grouchy."

"I'm no fun anyway," I reminded him. "I'm a total nerd loser. Only Gohan thinks I'm cool. Remember?"

"I meant that you're no fun to poke fun at," he replied. "Hey, what are you looking for up there? I'll grab it for you."

I sighed. He looked _extra_ stupid good, with his dark jeans, grey fitted t-shirt, and million dollar smile. Ugh.

"Just the wine glasses. Three of them, please."

"Just three? Come on."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. That's not really much of a party, if you ask me."

"It's not a party. It's girl's night."

He grinned. "Pan and Marron?"

I nodded.

"Awesome. I think we'll join you ladies."

"I think you won't." The absolute _last_ thing I wanted right now was to spend an evening watching Goten sticking his tongue down his girlfriend's throat. "Bye!"

I went to brush past him, but he grabbed my arm instead. It felt like sparks erupted from the patch of skin he touched. He spun me toward him so we were face to face; I could smell just the faintest scent of _him_ from this distance, and I had to tilt my head up to look into his eyes.

"Bulla… what's going on with you? I thought we talked things out." He seemed perplexed.

I wasn't sure if it was my imagination, but I thought I felt him pull me in just a fraction closer. Okay, fine, it was probably my imagination.

"We did talk things out. And I forgave you. That doesn't mean I want to spend any time with you, just so you can find more things to make fun of me for later."

His puzzled expression softened into a smile, and I quickly glanced downward. He loosened his grip on my arm, but I was frozen in place.

"You don't want to spend _any_ time with me?" He asked, in a tone of voice that sounded doubtful. I could feel his breath on my neck as he spoke.

I kept my gaze averted. Damn him. There's no way he _couldn't_ realize what kind of effect he had on me; everything he'd told me yesterday, about how he'd made the whole story up, must have been a total lie to make me feel less embarrassed. My heart was bouncing in my chest; if he couldn't hear it, he would definitely be able to feel the pulse in my arm. I racked my brain for a response, but it had turned to jelly.

"Let go of me," was all I was able to choke out, and I walked as quickly as I could back toward the rec room.

I was feeling pretty pleased with myself, up until I sat down on the couch, only to have the girls look at me like I had three heads. Had they heard? Did they know?!

"Where are the wine glasses?" Marron asked. "Isn't that what you were doing this whole time?"

I groaned.

"Can you please go grab them?" I begged Pan, but she shook her head. She pointed to the phone she was holding next to her ear, and I realized she was probably speaking to her parents.

I looked at Marron next. "Could you?" I asked.

"Hell no! You're a big girl. Do it yourself! I don't wanna run into your dad in there!"

"My dad doesn't go into the kitchen unless he smells food," I promised, giving her my best puppy-dog eyes. "Pleaaase?!"

She shook her head. "You are _so_ lazy. Thank god you have such good genes, or you'd be a 400-pound blob on the couch." But like a good friend, she got up and made her way toward the kitchen.

I realized about thirty seconds too late what a horrible idea that had been. I jumped up as soon as it dawned on me what would happen, ran to grab her, but I unfortunately bumped into her on her way _out_ of the kitchen.

"Guess what? We're adding to this party's guest list! Sorry Pan. One of them's your uncle. And sorry, Bulla. One of them's your brother."

I groaned again and settled into the couch, wondering if the cushions could just swallow me up so I wouldn't have to be part of what was quickly becoming the worst Wednesday night ever. "But it was supposed to be _girl's_ night," I whined.

Marron didn't bother acknowledging me. "Chop chop! Let's move it, ladies! The party is moving to Trunks' place!" she chirped.

I think, looking back, I should have probably pushed harder to keep the party in the main house, where everyone would be too paranoid of my dad walking by to do anything _too_ stupid.

I also should have confirmed the new guest list beforehand.

And I guess, yeah, I probably should have insisted on sticking to just a few glasses of wine…

But, you know, hindsight is 20/20.

* * *

Trunks' suite was, as always, in immaculate condition. I'd never met a boy who was such a neat freak. Then again, when you're constantly bringing random women into your house, you don't want to look like a slob.

I expected to see my brother with some bimbo draped over his lap, and Goten and Nadine in a similar position, but I was completely caught off guard. Trunks and Goten were both female-free, sitting on the couch, with a gaming console on pause. I assumed Nadine was in the washroom.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Trunks announced, grabbing the wine from Marron and setting it on the counter. "So glad you could join us."

Rather than offering to help, I walked over and sat in the single armchair, saying nothing, already dreading what was in store.

After a few minutes of chit chat (which I didn't contribute to), I noticed something was… odd.

"Goten?" My voice seemed to startle him. "Where's Nadine?"

Goten shrugged, as if I'd just asked him what he thought about a math formula in one of my textbooks. "No clue. Work night."

So she wasn't here. She wasn't coming.

My heart leaped in my chest- in dread or anticipation, I wasn't quite sure. All I knew for certain was that alcohol and Goten were probably not the best combination for me at that moment.

Before I could respond, Trunks handed me a glass of wine. "Thanks," I said, quietly.

"You okay?" He asked, in a not-so-subtle tone of voice.

I offered him a shaky smile. "Yep. Just fine."

He looked doubtful, but didn't press the matter further. The wine was distributed, and everyone took their seats in the living room.

"I don't think we've ever hung out together, just the five of us," Pan observed. "Isn't that weird?"

We all thought about it, trying to remember.

"Holy shit. I think you're right, Pan," said Trunks in disbelief.

"But the four of us definitely have," she pointed out. "I definitely remember the torture you boys put us through as kids."

"Maybe if Marron had been there, she'd have been enough of a distraction for us to leave you two alone," added Goten, winking at the blonde sitting across from him.

Marron laughed good-naturedly. "Maybe you're right! And maybe that's still the case. What do you think?"

Goten smiled. "I think you might be right. I nearly forgot all about Twerpette #2 sitting alone over there."

I didn't dignify that with even so much as a grin, but took a good, long sip of wine instead.

"Does that make me Twerpette #1?" asked Pan, feigning excitement.

"It sure does. But don't flatter yourself. The one is just because you're older…. Barely."

Pan grinned. "I'll take it!"

They all laughed, as if the nickname was the most adorable thing in the world. I laughed, too, just enough to avoid drawing any more attention to myself.

The lighthearted conversation continued, and, being fearful of saying something stupid, I chose not to speak up. My only contribution to the evening thus far had been consuming three or four glasses of crappy Pinot Gris.

Trunks came and sat on the armrest of my chair as the others were visiting. "You sure you're good?"

"I'm fine," I told him.

"I don't want you to think we took over your party…"

"Well, you totally did, but I forgive you." He looked worried until he saw my smile, which he returned.

"Let me know if you need anything, okay? Except more wine. We're all out."

I laughed. It had been maybe an hour- how had we gotten through the entire box already?!

I stood up to grab myself a glass of water, and immediately sat back down. I'd had no idea how drunk I'd gotten. Shit.

"You holding up okay over there, Bulla?" Pan asked.

"Yep. Just fine. Can I grab anyone a water?"

With a chorus of _Yes_ 's all around, I stood up once more and stumbled not-so-gracefully toward the sink.

 _Stupid girl's night_ , I thought to myself. _Stupid wine_.

I felt a hand graze the small of my back through my sheer tank top, sending goosebumps shooting up my spine. _Stupid, stupid wine_.

"Can I help you with these?" Goten asked, grabbing two glasses of water with steady hands.

Too inebriated to come up with a witty response, I simply nodded my head and brought the other two out.

I went back to grab my own glass, but Goten had already returned to the sink to fetch his own.

I chugged back the water; I had no clue how thirsty I'd gotten. I hoped that this signaled the end of the evening.

"Okay… who wants to play Truth or Shot?" Marron asked, once we were finished.

"We're out of alcohol," I pointed out. _Please, I beg you, Dende_ , I prayed, _if you cared about me, you'd find a way to shut this party down_.

"We're in the home of Trunks Briefs, most eligible bachelor of the year. I can guarantee there's alcohol in here… isn't that right?" Marron asked.

Trunks, like Goten, didn't seem quite as drunk as the rest of us, but he was definitely feeling good. "In the cabinet by the bar," he instructed, and Marron hopped up.

"Okay, everyone in a circle around the coffee table!" She called out from across the room. We all obliged, and I made sure to have my brother on one side and Pan on the other.

Marron, carrying a large bottle of _something_ , plopped down in between the two boys and set up a shot glass in front of each one of us. "This is my favourite drinking game!"

I smiled timidly as she poured my glass full of clear liquid. As I held it up to my nose, however, I realized that it wasn't vodka, or white rum, or anything of the sort.

"Peach schnapps?" I snorted. " _Nice_ , Trunks."

"It's for the ladies," he insisted, but everyone laughed anyway.

"Okay. Who wants to go first?" asked Marron.

"Oooh! I will!" exclaimed Pan. "Marron: if you had to choose between Goten and Trunks, who would you choose?"

I laughed. I'd actually always wanted to know the answer, too.

"Hmmm… that's a tough call. Tie," she finally decided, looking pleased.

"Not fair!" said Pan.

"It is too fair. That's my honest answer. I couldn't decide!"

Pan narrowed her eyes. "I sad you had to choose one, and you didn't. That means you take a shot!"

I nodded. "That seems fair to me!"

Marron rolled her eyes, laughed, and quickly drank the sweet smelling liquid in her glass.

"Let's go in a circle. Bulla, you're next!"

The alcohol had given me the courage that I wish I didn't have. I made immediate eye contact with Goten, deciding what question to ask. He looked a little worried.

"Why isn't Nadine here tonight?"

I could feel Pan and Trunks share a look across the table, but I kept my gaze fixed on Goten.

"Working. I already told everyone that. Next."

"Nuh-uh. Not good enough." Words were pouring out of my mouth before I'd had the chance to think them through.

"What else do you want me to tell you?"

"The truth."

He looked down at his own drink, and even began to reach for the glass; at that moment, I knew there was more to the story.

"What are you trying to hide?" asked Pan, as he picked it up.

He paused; then, slowly, placed the drink back on the table. "We're… taking a bit of a break. Okay?"

The table was silent, with the exception of Marron, who snorted. "Uh-oh. Were things getting a bit too _serious_ again? Just like every other time?"

Goten didn't respond, except to say, "I've told the truth. Next person."

I nodded, and Trunks perked up where he was sitting. "Pan- how on earth are you still single?"

We all laughed, but I couldn't help but feel like a rock had settled in the pit of my stomach. Their age difference was the same as mine and Goten's; so why did he treat Pan like a grown woman while Goten still talked to me like a little kid?

"Hmmm…. Because no guy could handle me? Because I could beat the living crap out of every guy that's ever shown interest? Because not that many guys show interest in the first place? Because I don't want to worry about breaking bones while I'm having sex?"

Trunks' eyes widened. "You don't have to treat humans _that_ delicately, Pan. Look at all of us. Everyone seems perfectly able to enjoy themselves without… breaking bones."

"But you're all men. You're supposed to be gentle. It's not the same."

"I'm sure it is. What do you think, Bulla?" asked Goten.

I swallowed, but was saved by my brother saying, "Dude. No. Gross. Sister."

I thought that would be the end of it, but Goten had every intention of making me squirm- I guess I deserved it.

"Dude. _Niece._ Gross. Too late."

Trunks, defeated, shot me an apologetic look. I quickly replied, "Sorry, Goten. I don't kiss and tell. And it's not my turn, anyway. It's still Pan's!"

She laughed. "Did I not answer my question? That's the honest truth."

Trunks nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. Marron?"

Marron. Beautiful, sweet, evil little Marron. Of course she couldn't let anything go. The moment I saw the look in her eye, I made a mental note to kill her one day.

"Bulla… are you a virgin?"

 _Gulp_. I sucked back my shot before the question had fully left her mouth.

"What the hell! That's the easiest question ever!"

"Not when you're sitting next to your brother, it isn't."

She pouted, but looked at Goten, implying that it was his turn.

He looked at me intently, seemed to think better of it, and shifted his gaze toward Trunks. "Why haven't _you_ ever had a girlfriend yet?"

Trunks burst out laughing. "I enjoy the bachelor life too much. Everyone knows that. Pick up any magazine."

Goten raised an eyebrow. "Really? There hasn't been one woman out there who's made you think _Damn, I could spend the rest of my life with her_?"

The color rose in Trunks' cheeks. "I don't know," he muttered.

"Hah! Figures!" whooped Goten. "But 'I don't know' isn't enough of a truth for me."

Trunks looked down at the table. "I think… people see me as a certain type of person… and maybe I _am_ that person. But that means I'll never attract anyone looking for anything more than… some fun."

I felt bad my brother. But then again, maybe I didn't. "You can't have your cake and eat it too," I reminded him.

"I know, it's just… that's my honest answer. I don't want to date a bunch of women until I find the one. I just want to be with the one."

"And bang anything in a skirt that happens to walk by in the meantime?" Marron asked. "That's basically what you're saying."

Marron wasn't wrong, but I understood Trunks' wish. Didn't everyone dream of walking directly into their soulmate's arms, without any of the pesky dating crap?

That seemed to be the end of Goten's question, so it circled back to Pan, who had been uncharacteristically silent during the final round. She seemed to be racking her brain for a question, and finally, she settled on her uncle.

"So what's the deal with you and Nadine? Why'd you break up?"

"No fair!" said Goten. "You can't ask the same question twice!"

"I'm not. Bulla asked why she wasn't here."

Goten rolled his eyes, reaching to refill his glass, but the alcohol seemed to be really hitting everyone at that point. He fumbled with the bottle for a few seconds, then slammed it back on the counter without bothering to pour himself another shot.

"We don't know how to be anything other than boyfriend and girlfriend. Every time things start getting too serious, we find some dumb reason to break up. I think both of us realize…" For the first time, he was the one avoiding eye contact with me. He trailed off, looking at his hands. "I've wasted most of my twenties on someone who I know I don't want to spend my life with. But I'm 28. If I was going to feel the urge to propose or something, I'm assuming it would have happened by now."

No one said anything. Marron put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry, Uncle Goten," Pan murmured.

"Don't be sorry. I'm not sad that we broke up, I'm sad because I realize now how much time I wasted that could have been spent searching for the _one_. Like Trunks said."

Searching for the one… which meant he hadn't found her yet. I already knew that's how he felt, but it didn't make it hurt any less to hear him actually say it.

Finally, he met my gaze. My heart stopped as he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm sorry," he told me.

"Sorry? For what?" For everything that had happened over the last few days? For how he'd treated me since I started high school? For being blind to how I've felt all this time? Or for knowing that he'd never feel the same in return?

"I know this must suck for you. You guys were just becoming friends."

If I had ever wanted to punch Goten in the head before, it was nothing in comparison to how I was feeling at that exact moment. Sober Bulla would have just shook her head in disbelief. Drunk Bulla, on the other hand…

"Are you _kidding_ me?"

He seemed put off by me tone, as did everyone else at the table.

"What, is that a stupid assumption? You volunteered to hang out with her on Saturday- you were the tagalong, not her. You chatted with her all day long. You told her you wanted her to learn to fly. You took her side when she said she wanted to leave, even though you know how important training is to me. So don't use a tone of voice that makes me seem like a idiot."

I didn't even know how to respond, so I laughed incredulously instead. "Nadine and I are _not_ friends."

He gave me an odd look. "Okay. Sorry. Didn't mean to _offend_ you."

I opened my mouth to speak again, but Pan had rested her hand on my knee. I glanced in her direction, and she seemed almost concerned.

"My turn!" I said. I glanced around the table; everyone looked a bit uncomfortable. "Goten."

"You can't ask someone two questions in a row."

"Says who?"

"Says the rules."

I looked at Marron, who looked at me apologetically.

"Fine. Trunks." My brother went rigid beside me. "Who is it? Who's the girl? Who's the _one_?"

He reached for the bottle, poured himself a shot, and took it. (Probably not the best idea. We were all quite drunk at this point.)

"What the hell! Why can't you tell us?! It's not like any of us know her."

If I hadn't been staring right at my brother, I would have missed the split second glance he shot in Goten's direction before looking away.

Holy. Friggin. Crap.

It all made sense now.

Trunks loved _Nadine_!

Even in my drunken state (or possibly because of it), everything was clear. No wonder my mom asked why Trunks was acting like a brat during their dinner meeting- he had to miss dinner at Goku and Chi Chi's. He barged into my room the next morning in a panic because he had just found out Nadine would be coming to watch him train. No _wonder_ he was in such a good mood as we were flying over. And no wonder he got pissy the moment she and Goten started talking about sleeping naked. It all made sense. It wasn't the work promotion at all. It was love.

No one else seemed to be coming to the same conclusion as I was, so I kept quiet, barely able to contain the giant grin on my face. I was quite pleased with my detective work.

"What's funny about that?" Marron asked, and I realized I wasn't doing a great job of hiding my giddiness.

"Oh, nothing," I slurred. "I think I just realized who the girl is."

Trunks' face went beet red. "No you didn't. Shut up."

I just kept smiling. This schnapps stuff was awesome.

"Who is it?!" asked Marron, excitedly. "Do we all know her?"

I nodded.

"Do all the parents know her?"

I nodded.

"NO MORE QUESTIONS!" Trunks roared, staring daggers at me. I quickly averted my gaze; my eyes found Goten's next. He had an odd expression on his face.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing."

More staring.

"I've never seen you drunk before. You're quite the shit disturber."

I shrugged. "You're a shit disturber when you're sober, so…"

Everyone laughed out loud at that, with the exception of Goten, who just smiled.

"It's my turn to ask a question," said Trunks. "How about you, Bulla? Who's the unlucky guy whose heart you get to steal?"

My habit of blushing whenever the subject was brought up seemed to be put at bay by all the alcohol. I just grinned, and began to pour myself another shot.

"Nuh-uh. I'm cutting you off," he informed me. "You're way too much of a lightweight; I don't need you puking all day tomorrow."

"That's not fair! I shouldn't be the only one who's cut off! Now I have no choice but to tell the truth!"

Trunks nodded. "Well, maybe if you hadn't had five glasses of wine beforehand…"

I pouted. "Pass."

"No way!" said Marron. "No passing allowed."

I looked around the table; everyone was staring directly at me. Goten still had the odd look on his face from before.

"I'm not stealing any hearts. And I couldn't anyway, even if I tried."

Pan snorted at that. "Bulla, you're insane. I tell you, like, every day how gorgeous you are."

"Yeah, come on," added Marron. "Everywhere we go, guys gawk at you. It's kind of pathetic, actually."

"Thanks for saying that, but everyone knows that you girls are the pretty ones. And I'm not just saying that for pity."

Marron and Pan shared a look, but neither of them replied.

"Bulla… are you… serious?" Goten asked.

"I don't know what that tone of voice is supposed to mean. But yes, I'm serious. Don't try and make me feel better, I already know it's true. Can we move on to the next question, please?"

More silence.

"Listen… I know this doesn't mean much, coming from silly Uncle Goten, but trust me when I say… you could have literally any guy you want."

I sighed; my head was spinning. In order to avoid saying something stupid, I chose to ignore the second half of his sentence, but that just made it even worse. Because all I was able to mutter in reply was, "You're not my uncle."

He looked at me then, a strange expression on his face. Actually, everyone at the table was looking at me strangely. "Okay… fine. I'm not your uncle. Can you take the damn compliment?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"But you're wrong."

"You know what? We're not going to sit here and beg you to believe us. You're a good looking girl. Accept it."

 _Girl._

"I think it's time for the next question," I said. "Marron?"

"I'm actually not feeling well. I think I had a bit too much to drink." I tried to get her features to come into focus; I could certainly tell that her face was pale.

"I'll get her some water and help her to the guest room," said Trunks, hopping up. He got her standing, and the two of them left the suite together.

"Shit. Poor girl," said Pan. We nodded. "Dammit! Your brother forgot the water. I'll bring it to her."

Goten and I were alone in the suite then, avoiding eye contact with one another. I moved to the closest couch to avoid stumbling; Goten sat down next to me.

"I meant what I said, you know."

"Thanks."

"Why are you acting like this?"

Seriously… under any other circumstances, I knew I would have probably mumbled out some lame excuse. But for some reason, I just couldn't this time.

"Goten, what do you truly think of me?"

He seemed surprised by my question. "Me? What do I think?"

"Yeah. I know you're biased, but give it your best shot."

"Uhhh. Okay. I think you're very pretty. You dress really nicely and you always look well… put together. You're smart. You're polite."

I nodded slowly. "Okay. Thanks." I got up to leave.

"Where are you going?" He jumped up, stopping me in the doorway, much like he had done earlier that day in the kitchen.

"Honestly, I'm done with this night. I'm done with this game. I wish we'd never played."

He looked confused. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No! No, you didn't. You said everything you were supposed to." Much to my embarrassment, my eyes filled with tears; not from sadness, but from frustration. "That's exactly the type of thing that everyone would expect you to say."

"What's going on, then? Why are you crying?!"

"I'm not crying!" Dammit. I was never drinking again. "Goten, I don't want to just be pretty, or well put together, or smart, or polite."

"Well, you aren't _just_ those things, obviously, those were just the ones that jumped into my head-"

I covered my face in my hands. "You don't get it. I don't _want_ those to be the first things that pop into your head. Those are the type of compliments my mother would give me."

"Bulla, trust me, those are definitely _not_ the first things that pop into the average guy's head when they look at you."

"I don't _care_ about the average guy!" The tears that filled my eyes came dangerously close to bubbling over. I looked up; I had never seen him look more conflicted.

"Bulla… I-"

"Don't bother. I know that anything else you say at this point will just be because you want to make me feel better."

We looked at each other for a few more seconds. He took his hand off my arm and wrapped it around my shoulders instead, pulling me in toward his chest. My heart was pounding, my head was spinning, and as my face tilted downward, two rogue tears escaped down my cheeks. What on earth was he doing?

I don't think I'd ever stood so close to Goten; my face was buried in the front of his shirt, and I could feel his breath in my hair. Was his heart beating faster than normal? Or was that mine?

Just as I was _sure_ he was about to speak, we heard footsteps approach, and jumped apart as if we'd been electrocuted. Trunks walked in, followed by Pan.

"She's fast asleep!" she announced, finding a seat on the couch.

Trunks sat next to her, smiling bigger than he had all night. "She didn't even puke!"

"That's great!" I said, not actually caring one bit. "I'm actually feeling pretty tired myself. I think I'm going to go to bed. You guys can crash wherever, but don't stop the party on my account!"

Without so much as a glance in Goten's direction, I turned on my heel and walked out the door, straight up to my room. My head was an absolute mess. I was so drunk, I felt like I'd just imagined everything that had happened.

I crawled onto my bed with the full intention of thinking through everything that had happened that evening, but I must have fallen asleep instead... because the next thing I knew, I was woken by a knock on my door.


	4. Chapter 4

_Bulla, like both of her parents, is a bit of a spoiled brat (but doesn't realize it). She's beautiful, she's smart, but most of all, she's used to getting her way... and because she isn't getting her way when it comes to Goten, she's becoming whiny. I think we all need a break from her... or at least from her head. (Although I do love her). :)_

 _Next up is someone whose head I think we all want a peek into._

* * *

"Yeah?" Came Bulla's muffled voice.

"Can I come in?" I asked.

Silence. Then, "I guess so."

I opened the door, and found it exactly as I always did if I ever walked in before noon- with clothes covering the floor, the window wide open, and my sister wrapped up in her blanket like a sausage roll. She poked her head out.

"What do you want? I'm not in the mood to talk right now, Trunks."

"Sorry," I said. I didn't blame her. She probably wasn't feeling too hot this morning. "I just... I wanted to talk about what happened last night."

I'd barely slept, worrying too much that Bulla would blab and my little secret would be out. I'd done my best to keep it under wraps for years- no easy feat, believe me- and I didn't want one stupid drinking game to ruin all of that. I wanted to wait until the moment was absolutely perfect before I even breached the subject... and I'd decided that 'the moment' was coming up on the not-so-distant future.

"I'm the wrong person to talk to about last night," she replied. "At the moment, I don't remember much past the time the schnapps was brought out."

I was relieved... but I also knew Bulla was the type of girl who would pretend she didn't remember something just to avoid talking about it. "I mean about what you said about knowing who I-"

"Ohhhhhh," she said, suddenly sitting up with a giant grin. "It's all coming back to me now. HAH! Oh my god. I can't believe I'd forgotten! Your not-so-secret lover! You know, Trunks, I put two and two together pretty easily. You might want to tell her sooner rather than later."

"Anyway..." I could feel the heat rise in my face. "It's obvious you know exactly who it is. But could you do me a favour, and not make it obvious to her?"

She looked confused. "Ummm. Okay."

"And," I added, "could you do your best to avoid telling Goten?"

"Of course!" She said. "I would never. Yeah, he would freak. But don't worry, it's not like Goten and I are _ever_ alone, so I would never have the chance to..." she trailed off.

I allowed her some time to finish her sentence, but she seemed to already be thinking about something else. "A chance to what?"

Her eyes shot back to me, as if I'd just startled her. "A chance to tell him," she concluded. "Don't worry Trunks. My lips are sealed."

I smiled. I knew she wouldn't purposely blab, but she wasn't exactly the greatest liar. Like me, she blushed every time she tried. "Thanks, Bulla. I really appreciate it. I'm just... I don't think it's a good time to tell her, yet."

"I agree," she replied, "But you probably shouldn't wait _too_ long..."

"Well, I at least want to wait until this whole promotion thing is over with. Mom has me working like a dog right now."

She nodded. "Not a bad idea. It might make a better impression if you aren't obsessing over work while trying to convince her you're boyfriend material."

That threw me off. "Uh... I guess so. But it's not like I haven't already made an impression on her. She knows me- and my work schedule- pretty well by this point," I laughed.

"That's true. But by impression, I meant as more than just as a friend." She giggled. "You'll figure out. I promise not to tell!"

"You... approve?" I asked, a bit timidly. "I thought it would be weird for you..."

"Weird? No way. We aren't even friends! I totally encourage it!"

I laughed, figuring she was being sarcastic in one way or another, and thanked her again before closing the door on my way out. I checked myself in the hallway mirror once more before heading to my office, walking quickly past the guest rooms on my way. I definitely didn't have time for a conversation with another hungover girl... well, one in particular, anyway. I was already running late- and now was certainly not the time for dumb chit chat.

* * *

I'd caught up on most of my paperwork by lunch time, so I decided to head back to my place to see if Goten was still around- and kick him out, if he was. He _did_ have work today. Goten had essentially been handed a job at Hercule's gym once he graduated high school. I mean, not that he didn't deserve it- he was an excellent fighter, and the students loved him- but he never needed any schooling, he never needed an interview, never had to work overtime, never needed to prove himself. He was paid exceedingly well for his work (not Capsule Corp CEO-well, of course, but he certainly wasn't struggling), and it was Pan's dream to work there too some day. Unfortunately for her, Gohan was almost a stricter parent than Chi Chi had been as far as studying went, so there was no 'walking into a job' for her.

My mom was the same. I had to get a four year business degree before she agreed to hire me at Capsule Corp, and my first job was barely higher than an entry-level position. It took me eight years for her to even consider promoting me to co-CEO, even though my grandpa basically handed her the job as soon as she was finished her 'adventures'.

But I digress.

"Goten? You here?" I called out. "It's noon. You should _probably_ go to work..."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here," I heard him reply, as he walked out from the main kitchen. "I just had breakfast with the gals. That sister of yours is a pretty good cook!"

I shrugged, mostly just grateful that he hadn't yet figured out who the 'mystery girl' was. Knowing Goten, he'd probably either forgotten, or just truly didn't care. Either way, I wanted him out of the house before my sister let something slip. "I guess. Don't you have somewhere to be?"

He smiled. "Yep. But Videl's covering for me. I took the evening shift instead, which means I start in an hour. So... I guess I should probably get going?"

I nodded. "Yep. Probably. So... are the girls still here?"

"Marron went home. She has a class this afternoon. Pan and Bulla are still in the kitchen."

"Sounds good." Maybe there was some food left over. "Have a good one. See ya later!"

Goten nodded, grabbed his things, and headed out after one last wave and a "later!".

"Hey guys," I greeted Pan and Bulla as I walked into the kitchen where they were sitting. "How're you feeling?"

"Had better days," Bulla replied. She looked surprisingly well put together for someone who was still wearing last night's makeup when I saw her this morning.

"I'm about the same," said Pan. "Just waiting for the rain to clear up, then I'll be heading home too."

I looked at the clock. "I could probably drive you," I offered.

She raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have to work?"

Bulla laughed. "He's probably looking for an excuse to get away from our mom's wrath," she explained. "Don't worry, Trunks, I'll cover for you if she asks."

"Thanks, sis," I said. For all her annoying tendencies, she was actually a pretty cool sister. "Ready to go, Pan?"

I guess I didn't usually offer to do nice things that often, because my offer seemed to throw her off. Meanwhile, I was just using this as an opportunity to see how she was feeling about everything that was said the night before. "Uhh... sure. Thanks I appreciate it!"

I smiled, but before I could follow her out of the kitchen, Bulla pulled me aside. "Trunks... just FYI... I told Pan," she whispered.

I froze.

" _What did you just say_?" I asked, hoping I'd misheard.

She rolled her eyes. "I told Pan. About our conversation earlier."

I could feel the colour drain from my face. "But... you said... you wouldn't tell."

"Well, I had to tell _someone_ ," she said, as if it was completely justified, and _I_ was the one acting unreasonable.

"But why did you have to tell _Pan_?!" I demanded, in a whisper-yell.

"I don't know. Because I wanted to?"

I couldn't contain my anger. "I cannot _believe_ you Bulla. How _could_ you!? You should have let me tell her myself! You had no right breaking my trust like that. I'll remember this, so help me-"

"Oh, calm down," she said, rolling her eyes again. "Stop being such a spaz."

I was about to freak on her again, but I was interrupted by Pan reentering the kitchen.

"Hey. You ready, Trunks? I just don't want to make you _too_ late for work..."

I felt all the blood rush back into my face, all at once. "Um... sure. I mean yeah. Yes. Let's go."

She furrowed her brow. "Are you... okay? You don't have to give me a ride..."

"It's fine! I mean, it's fine. Let's, er, let's just go."

"Bye guys!" Bulla said, as if everything was completely fine. I couldn't believe what a little brat she was being. And here I thought she was maturing, growing up... but she was still the same old annoying little sister she'd always been.

Pan gave her a wave, but I didn't so much as look in her direction. The girls shared a look; I didn't even want to know what it was.

"Let's go," I muttered, and we walked out.

* * *

"Is everything okay?" Pan asked, obviously playing dumb.

I mumbled something incoherent. This is _not_ how I envisioned her finding out. I didn't want her to find out this soon, I didn't want her to find out while we all felt like complete shit, but most of all, I didn't want her to find out from my _sister_.

"Trunks... is this about what Bulla was telling me? You know, from that game last night? If it is, I swear, I-"

"Forget it," I grumbled. Okay. Breathe. I had to make the best of this situation, since she already knew. I just wished I'd had a better plan of attack. I wished Bulla would have given me a little more warning. How was I even supposed to begin?

"Well... what do you think?" I finally asked, breaking the incredibly awkward silence.

"What do I think about what?"

Was she serious? "About... what Bulla told you," I explained, keeping my eyes forward. For all the awkward conversations I'd had with women, and for all the million and one times I'd spoken to Pan, this discussion was exceptionally difficult.

"Um, I don't know," she replied. "I think you're kind of dumb, I guess."

I was silent. Fuck. She thinks I'm dumb. I mean, she always thought I was dumb, but now she thought I was dumb for the worst possible reason. If I had just told her when I'd wanted to, _how_ I'd wanted to, she'd understand... or at least understand better than she did now.

"Okay, okay, fine," she corrected herself, noticing my reaction. "Not dumb. But don't you think it's a little... sudden?"

I made a face. "Uhhh... I don't know," I gulped. "Do you?"

She shrugged. "Well, first and foremost, there's Goten's feelings to consider..."

I nodded. "I know. I know how he'll react. He'll probably feel betrayed..."

"Yep. I mean, he's not exactly the possessive type, but he'll definitely feel hurt. You're his _best friend_. Really... there's really no other girl on earth that you could have picked?"

I felt deflated. She didn't even say it with a smile, or a laugh, or anything. She said it like my feelings were a major inconvenience to everyone... herself included. I just shook my head in response.

"Well, I guess you can't help who you fall for. I really don't think it's the best time to make a move, though. Wait a while. A few months, anyway. At least give Goten some time to heal from the breakup... he'll probably take the news _way_ better if he's in a good mood when you tell him."

I agreed with her, but I was also extremely confused. She was acting like a friend giving advice, without much interest in the topic beyond that. "Okay... fine. Good idea. But what do _you_ think?" I asked, as my stomach did a backflip. Now that everything was out in the open, I was dying to know how she felt... although, judging by her reaction, I had a pretty good idea of what she would say.

"What do you mean? That _is_ what I think."

"No. I meant... how do you feel about it?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. Classic Pan, always playing it cool. Dammit, woman, show some emotion for once! Just this one time! "I don't know. I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other."

I decided, at that moment, that those were the most painful words that had ever been spoken to me. I said a silent prayer thanking whoever was listening that we were nearly at Gohan's place.

She must have seen the look on my face, because she grabbed my arm and turned toward me in her seat. "Listen, Trunks... I'm sorry. I take that back. Of course I care. You're one of my best friends in the world. In fact, I've been noticing how... weird you've been acting lately. I assumed it was work related, but I'm glad to know what the real reason is. I know I'm not the most emotional or sensitive person out there, but I can see how heavily this has been weighing on you. So, honestly, if you ever need to talk about it... I'm happy to. I know you can't exactly talk to Goten, so, yeah. I'm here. To talk. Anytime."

It felt like she'd just buried a knife in my chest. She'd basically just confirmed what I'd always suspected, but desperately hoped wasn't true. I tried to find the words to respond, but I couldn't. I just nodded, once, knowing my voice would shake if I tried anything more.

She accepted my nod as the end of the conversation, and we rode in silence for the rest of the trip. Once we got to her place, she opened the door, stepped out, gave me a single wave (accompanied by an incredibly humiliating look of sympathy), and headed up the steps to her door.

I couldn't help but stare as she walked away; even in her jeans and sweater, I could make out the definition in her legs, her arms, her shoulders. Toned, but incredibly lean... any woman on earth would kill for her physique, and she didn't even know it. Her long, dark hair fell perfectly down to the small of her back, swaying back and forth with each step, just like it always did. She turned around one last time before closing her front door, and I couldn't help but smile as her eyes met mine. She smiled then, too, and I was glad I'd waited in the driveway just to have that one moment. The door closed.

 _Well, Trunks,_ I said to myself, _There's your answer. Guess it's time to move on._

I just shook my head, sighed, then took off back toward Capsule Corp, knowing full well that 'moving on' simply wasn't in the cards anymore- though truly, it never was.

* * *

"You are fucking _dead_ ," I growled, as soon as I found Bulla. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

She looked at me like I was a mental patient. "What's wrong with _me_?! What's wrong with you!?"

"I specifically asked you not to tell her," I roared, not caring who heard. "You promised. You _swore_."

"What are you talking about? I never..." she stopped abruptly, and her face went white as a ghost. Had she still been drunk when she made her promise earlier? Did she completely forget that she made it? Why did it look like she was having a sudden epiphany?

"Exactly. You did. You promised, and within the span of a few hours, you already spread it around like wildfire. I don't even want to look at you right now." I was about to turn around to storm off, but I couldn't help noticing that Bulla hadn't even heard what I'd just said. It looked as though every wheel in her mind was turning.

"Trunks," she said, "It's not what you think."

I just shook my head. "Save it. I don't want to hear your excuses."

"You don't understand," she choked out. "I didn't realize-"

"You didn't? Really? Because I'm pretty sure we've already been over this, and we agreed that you _did_ , in fact, realize it, and that's when I pretty much begged you to let me tell her myself!"

She sat down on the closest chair and looked at the ground. "Trunks," she whispered, then stopped. She opened her mouth to speak again, but I cut her off.

"Whatever excuse you're trying to make up right now, just save it. I have work to do. Please don't come into the office today. I'm really not in the mood to see you right now."

She put her head in her hands, and I just rolled my eyes and quickly walked away before I started to feel bad for her. She was the one who messed up, not me. I wasn't about to apologize.

I had just about made it back to the office building when I turned a corner and bumped into...

"Dad?!"

My dad never ventured to this side of Capsule Corp. Literally... never. "Are you lost?" I asked, not even meaning to come across as sarcastic.

He ignored my comment. "Why is your sister upset?"

Shit. "Listen. I know you _always_ take her side, but trust me, this time-"

"Does it have to do with Kakarot's boy?"

My mouth snapped shut in surprise. "Kakarot's... huh? Which one?"

"Goten!" he barked. "Obviously."

Obviously? My dad said a lot of cryptic things, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what on earth he was getting at. "No?" Was this a trick question?

He "hmphed," but didn't make a move to leave.

"What would Goten have to do with Bulla being upset?" I asked carefully.

He looked at me for a few moments, but didn't answer my question. Instead, he asked, "What happened last night?"

"The girls came over to my place. We just hung out. Nothing happened." Nothing to do with Bulla or Goten, anyway.

He looked suspicious (for what reason, I didn't know), but seemed accept my response. "If you see your mother, tell her to check on your sister," he instructed, and walked back toward the gravity chamber.

I'm used to my dad being weird, but that was exceptionally weird. Was something going on with Bulla that I didn't know about? Was something going on with Goten that I didn't know about?

Was something going on with Goten _and_ Bulla that I didn't know about?!

No. Goten and Nadine had just broken up. Bulla had never once shown interest in Goten... except, of course, for the incident last weekend...

But that had all been a big joke. Bulla didn't _actually_ like Goten. She couldn't. Could she? Bulla was brilliant, she was motivated, and she was extremely... high maintenance. Goten was literally _none_ of those things. What did they have in common? I racked my brain, but couldn't come up with a single thing, except for the fact that they were both half Saiyan. Besides, they never even spoke, or spent any sort of time together...

I gave my head a shake. No, that was definitely not what my dad could have been referring to. There must have been something else going on...

... Which I planned to figure out later, but maybe not, you know, on company time. I looked at my watch; ten minutes late. Thank God I could use my dad as an alibi.

* * *

I heard a tap on my door as I was just about to jump into bed that night. There was only one person that would be 'tapping' on my door at this hour...

And there she was, looking horribly guilty, with her head low. "Can I come in?" she asked, quietly. "I really want you to at least hear me out."

"It's late, Bulla," I told her. "And I have an early morning tomorrow."

"I know, but I- I promise it won't take long."

I shrugged, and opened the door wide enough for her to walk past. She took a seat on the couch.

"Trunks, I didn't know. I thought I knew, but I didn't. But trust me- it's not as bad as you think!"

"You're not making sense," I mumbled, already regretting letting her in.

"Last night... when I said I knew who it was... I thought it was Nadine."

My jaw dropped. " _Nadine_? Goten's Nadine?!"

Her eyes flickered. "Yeah... Goten's Nadine."

"Jesus, Bulla, are you serious? I may not be a model citizen when it comes to dating, but I would never go for Goten's girlfriend!"

" _Ex-_ girlfriend," she corrected.

"Sorry. Ex-girlfriend." I paused... and the wheels started turning in my own mind. I quickly changed the subject. "What did you tell Pan?!"

"Exactly what I thought. That you were in love with Nadine."

My heart started pounding. "She thinks I'm in love with Nadine?!"

"Yes!" said Bulla, excitedly. "Nadine. So now I'll just go and tell her I screwed things up, and I don't actually know who it is, and then everything will be just like it was before!"

I could feel the smile spread across my face. "You're right. Oh my God, Bulla, I can't believe this. I honestly thought-" I cut myself off.

"What? You thought what?"

My smile faltered. "You can't. You can't tell her."

"What? Why?"

"Because... " I'd just replayed our earlier conversation in my head. Why, oh _why_ did I offer to drive her home?! Nadine's name was never specifically brought up... but it might as well have been, as far as Pan was concerned. I gave Bulla a recap of what was said on the way to Pan's place.

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Well, I mean, I guess it's good that you never said anything that would give away the real truth."

"Yeah, but... if I tell her it _isn't_ Nadine... that there was a misunderstanding along the way... it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that I was actually talking about _her_."

Bulla nodded. "Right. And that's not how you want her to find out, either."

It was my turn to sigh. "You really screwed things up, Bulla."

She looked so hurt, I couldn't help but smile. "But it's okay. I forgive you. I'm more mad at myself. I should have actually made sure you were talking about Pan before I told you you were right."

She smiled too. "Let's both take the blame. It makes me feel better, anyway."

"So what do I do now?" I wondered aloud.

She shrugged. "Well... I guess you only have one option. Let her believe you're in love with Nadine 'til you're ready to tell her the truth."

"This will be a difficult web of lies to construct. And we both suck at lying," I reminded her.

She laughed. "Trust me, I know. Anyway, I'll let you get to bed. Thanks for hearing me out. I'm sorry again."

"It's no problem," I promised. "Actually, before you go... in all the craziness, I forgot to ask. I know you and Pan are best friends. How would you feel if she and I... you know...?"

"I think it would be awesome," she replied.

"The age difference isn't weird?"

"Nope!" she said, without skipping a beat. "Not one bit. You two are both grown adults. There's nothing wrong with it."

"Well that's good to hear!" I smiled. She was walking straight into my trap. I almost felt bad. "And one more question, before you go..."

"Yeah?" she asked.

"What's going on with you and Goten?"

Her face instantly went bright pink; I knew I had my answer. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice about ten octaves higher than normal.

"Hey, don't get mad at me. Take it up with dad," I replied, unable to keep the smirk off my face.

Her jaw dropped, she spun on her heel, and I could hear her stomp all the way down the hall. "Dad?!" she called out. "DAD!"

I made a mental note to press her for more details- once her face stopped resembling a tomato, of course- and headed off to my bedroom.

Just as I had gotten into bed and began drifting off to sleep, I heard a buzz from beside me. I opened my eyes, and noticed that my room had been illuminated by the light of my phone screen. I reached over, grabbed it, and checked my notifications.

My stomach dropped. I had just spoken to this person earlier in the day; something must have happened within the past few hours to have provoked this text. And I could only imagine what exactly that _something_ could have been.

 _Hey. Sorry to bug you. Can we talk?_


	5. Chapter 5

_One more chapter with good ol' Trunks. I find he's a difficult character to write for, because I have to keep reminding myself it's not Future Trunks. No easy feat!_

 _I hope you enjoy :)_

* * *

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

 _No prob. Call me._

Except it was a prob. A very very big prob.

If Goten was texting me this late- on a work night- something had to have been wrong. He must have found out about Pan. But who? And how?

I didn't have time to read much into it- my phone began to ring.

"Hey," I answered, trying to seem casual.

"Hey! Sorry again for calling so late. I just got off work and couldn't text earlier!"

Dammit. Of course. I'd forgotten he worked an evening shift. Okay... maybe the late night text wasn't serious as I thought.

"No problem. What's going on?"

"I wanted your opinion on something."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Nadine called today."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Is that right? What did she have to say?"

"Oh, the usual. She wants to get back together. But after everything we talked about last night… you know, about wasting our time… I dunno. What do you think?"

Under any other circumstances, I would have told him to just go for it. That's what playboy Trunks was supposed to say. But for some reason… knowing how Bulla felt… "I don't know, man. It didn't seem like you were really into getting back together with her," I reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah. But I was thinking- what if I never find 'the one', and I blow it with her? That would suck. Should I just… give it another go?"

I understood exactly what he was thinking- but I had to do my best to give Bulla an honest shot. She had just agreed to lie to her best friend in order to give _me_ an honest shot. "I'm gonna say no to this one," I told him. "Nadine's cool, but you should at least try to play the field a bit. See what happens."

"Yeah, you're probably right." So easily swayed. It was obvious he wasn't that into her. "I'll give her a call and let her know that we're done for good this time. Sorry again for bugging you so late!"

"No problem. Have a good one!"

"Later," he said, and hung up.

Well then. That was easier than I thought it would be.

* * *

The weekend rolled around, which meant it was training day; Pan, Goten, and I always met up on Saturdays, and sometimes the others would join us. Even though I loved the one on one with Pan, I loved fighting with Goten just as much. Unlike Gohan, his passion for fighting never disappeared, and neither did mine. We had been almost completely even our entire lives, and the desire to keep up with the other kept us both motivated. Think Goku and my dad, but less rivalry, more friendly competition.

To be honest, I was jealous of Goten. I was jealous that he got to train all day, every day, just like my dad and Goku. I had no doubt that Mr Satan would offer me a job if I asked- but deep down, I knew that I never would, tempting as it was. Capsule Corp was the biggest business in the world. I would be an absolute fool to pass up that opportunity. Plus, I truly did enjoy the work. Perhaps not the more mundane tasks, but the product development, the research, the testing, the creating… it was incredible.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I walked into the kitchen and saw Bulla sitting down, eating breakfast.

 _At eight in the morning._

"Don't look at me like that," she snapped. "I have plans today."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? What are you doing?"

She smiled. "It's training day, isn't it?"

Well, that was certainly not the answer I was expecting. "Where's this sudden interest in training coming from?" I asked. "Is it to… impress anyone in particular?"

She cocked her head to one side. "Believe it or not… no. I actually think it's pretty cool. Okay, maybe not the actual fist fighting, but the rest."

I was impressed. I didn't completely believe her, obviously, but I was impressed. "So you're coming with us? We don't usually leave til a little later…"

She shook her head. "I'm training with dad today."

"Um… where?"

"In the gravity chamber… duh."

"You're spending your Saturday in the _gravity chamber_? With _dad_?!"

She looked almost offended. "Yeah. So what?"

I just shook my head. "Nothing. Can I join you?"

"Hell no! It'll be embarrassing enough with one person there!"

"Yeah, but don't forget… dad trained me, too. I know exactly how he is. I bet I'll be a pretty good buffer." Also, I wanted to see if she could go God mode or something. So sue me.

She seemed to mull it over. "Okay… fine," she finally agreed. "But don't judge. And could you do me a favour, and not tell the others?"

At first, I wondered why she'd make such an odd request, but then it dawned on me: _everyone_ who knew anything about Vegeta's strength constantly pestered Bulla to at least _try_ some training. She probably didn't want to give them any more reason to bug her about it. "Of course not. When do we go?"

"Anytime," she replied. "I think it's safe to say that dad's already in there…"

I laughed. "No doubt. Okay, I'll follow you. Let's go."

She smiled, dumped her breakfast dishes in the sink, and began walking toward the gravity room.

* * *

"Well? Where shall we start?" Bulla asked.

"We start with you changing into some respectable gear," my dad replied.

Bulla looked down at herself. " _What_?! They're yoga pants!"

"You're the daughter of a Saiyan prince, not a yoga… whatever."

I laughed. "Come on, dad. You guys are basically wearing the same thing."

"We most certainly are not! If she trains on her own, she may wear what she pleases. If she's training with me, she can at least have enough respect to wear proper training gear, or a martial arts uniform, like you did."

"This is hardly what matters," Bulla pointed out. "We're not actually going to be fighting."

"Of course we are. How am I to teach you how to detect power levels if you don't even know your own?!"

Bulla blinked. Once. Twice. "Okay. Uh… do I just scream really loud to power up?"

I looked at my dad, trying not to laugh. He looked back at me, expressionless. "Just go change, Bulla."

"I have nothing to wear!"

"Go ask your mother."

She sighed, rolled her eyes, and stomped out.

"Well dad, looks like you guys are off to a good start!" I observed, with a chuckle.

"Hmph."

"Aren't you the tiniest bit excited to see how strong Bulla can be?"

"I _know_ how strong she can be, and I also know that she could become even stronger than I can imagine."

I smiled. "Yeah, her potential is huge. I mean, she stole the youngest Super Saiyan title away from Goten, and he was only seven."

He grunted. "And she hasn't done it again since. It astounds me that she doesn't remember."

"She was _three_ , dad. It was a temper tantrum. I certainly don't remember any of mine. Though I guess it doesn't help that mom forced us never to talk about that specific incident ever again."

"She felt it was for her own protection that Bulla forgot how to become a Super Saiyan," he said, shaking his head. "Unbelievable. As if I wouldn't be able to tell if any of you were ever in serious danger."

"Uh… but dad, when Bulla was little, you guys were still off training with Whis all the time. What if I wasn't around? It only takes a second for something bad to happen. Bulla didn't know her own strength."

He just grumbled. "If you feel that way, then I suppose you should be grateful that your children won't have the ability to become a Super Saiyan."

I kept my mouth shut. Maybe he was right. Maybe my kids would only be a quarter Saiyan, and never have the ability to transform.

But then again… maybe they would _potentially_ have enough Saiyan blood…

I gave my head a shake. _Stop it._ I couldn't let Pan become a distraction, especially not when I would be seeing her in a few hours.

"Anyway… are you really teaching Bulla to power up to help her detect power levels, or do you just want to see how far she can go?"

He smirked; that was enough of an answer.

"You're not going to turn her into a fighter, you know. I wouldn't bother trying if I were you."

Bulla walked back in at that point, and I had to admit, she didn't look half bad. She wore an outfit similar to Pan's- spandex shorts and a t-shirt- but in our classic blue rather than black, and with the addition of a loose tank over top.

"Much better," my dad said. "Now. How high can you power up?"

She looked at him quizzically. "Power up? I… I don't know. I think this is my strongest."

He stared at her, dumbfounded. "This isn't your strongest. Your power level is higher when you're yelling at Trunks, for god's sake. Now, power up."

Bulla looked at me. "Any tips?"

"Try flying," I suggested. "Everyone's power increases when they fly."

She nodded, and hovered a few feet above ground. "How's this?"

I shrugged. It was a detectable increase, but only barely. "Does it feel higher?"

She shook her head no, and gently floated back down to the ground. "I don't even know where to begin. Am I too old to start?"

"No," I said, at the same time my dad said "maybe."

I shot him a look, which he didn't return. "Why don't we start with some training and see if your power increases as we go?" he suggested. "Come over here and hit me as hard as you can."

She nodded, and complied, but my dad didn't budge… obviously. She looked discouraged, even though she had actually given him a pretty hard punch. If he hadn't been expecting it, I'm sure it would have hurt at least a little. It hurts _me_ if she gives me her best shot. "Don't sweat it, Bulla. Dad has the power of a God. You can't be too hard on yourself-"

"Shut it, Trunks!" My dad barked. "Don't make excuses for her. She was stronger than any of us were at birth. She is capable of much more than this. If you're not going to be helpful, you can leave."

Neither of us said anything.

"Now Bulla, your form is horrendous. Do you remember anything that I taught you as a child? Let's go over it again."

At that moment, I sensed Goten and Pan's impending arrival. That was weird. They were early. "Sorry guys, I've gotta go. Good luck Bulla. Don't give up! And don't be too hard on her, dad," I reminded him. "She's your daughter, not your son."

"I won't go easy on her just because she's a girl," he scoffed. "In my experience, the weak fighters die, and the strong fighters live. Strength is all that matters. Women are not spared simply because they are women."

"Yeah, okay, whatever." I didn't see any impending life or death situations approaching; we'd been at peace for years. "Anyway, I'm out of here. See you guys later!"

"Bye Trunks!" my sister said. "We'll debrief later… if, you know, I survive this."

I laughed, and with one final wave to my dad, left to join the others.

* * *

Pan had always intrigued me. She was so much like Videl was as a teenager. Granted, my first memories of Videl are foggy, but I mostly remember that she wasn't like anyone else I knew. She wasn't goofy or silly like the boys in the Son family, nor was she a control freak like Chi Chi. She wasn't prideful like my dad, or spoiled like my mom, or oblivious like my grandparents.

Pan was so similar….

She was funny but not at all goofy. Able to control a situation without being bossy. An amazing fighter, but not the slightest bit conceited. She could have anything and everything she wanted, but her wants were few. She was intelligent but not a know-it-all.

It didn't help that she was stunningly beautiful. Stop-you-in-your-tracks beautiful. Her hair always looked incredible, whether it was hanging loose down her back or tied up for training. Her clothing was simple, but perfect for her; usually a pair of tights that fit a bit too well, a long shirt that hung _just_ high enough in the front and long enough in the back, and whatever shoes she could kick butt in, if needed. And never a speck of makeup- though she didn't need it.

Looking back, I don't know when my feelings for Pan changed. I suppose it happened over time.

When she was sixteen, I remember the four of us going for an impromptu swim at the lake, and needing to make a point of maintaining eye contact the entire time.

When she was seventeen, I remember being unable to concentrate when she wore nothing but a sports bra to training one day.

When she was eighteen, I remember hugging her for the first time in _years_ on graduation day, and immediately regretting it.

When she was nineteen, I remember being much too disappointed when I would go to Goku's, Gohan's, or visit Goten at work, and not run into her.

And now… well…

Now I've just accepted it.

I spent my twenties doing everything a guy in his twenties is supposed to do, and up until about a year ago, I had no problem playing the field. It distracted me from Pan, it ensured that no friends or family would ever have suspicions, and, honestly, it was fun.

But in the past year, I just couldn't bring myself to be _that_ Trunks anymore. There had been multiple opportunities, obviously. Not to sound conceited, but I don't really need to go searching- as the heir to Capsule Corporation, I'm a fairly well known guy.

But I don't bring girls home anymore. At corporate events, I may go up to someone's hotel room afterward, but I always lose my nerve before anything serious happens. Funny how the thing I used to look forward to most about business trips, is now the thing I try to avoid.

When I travel now, all I can think about is what's going on back home. I often head straight back after an event when I can, rather than staying the night. This obviously hasn't gone unnoticed. Whenever someone asked why I'd been such a homebody lately, I used work as an excuse- which has worked out fairly well so far. Work _has_ been crazy, so it's not exactly a lie.

But it's something- or rather, some _one_ \- else who is truly influencing my decision.

And here she was now, laughing with her uncle, wearing her usual gear, completely oblivious to my feelings.

As she saw me walking toward them, her face broke into a smile. "Hey, Trunks!"

Her smile was contagious. "Hey, Pan! Hey, Goten. You guys are here early!"

Goten shrugged. "Power outage 'cause of the rain. Couldn't open the gym this morning. What's Bulla doing?"

I froze. "Uh…. Why do you ask?"

"Her power level is weird. Is no one else noticing this?"

Duh. "Oh. That. Uh…."

Pan nodded. "Yeah, it is weird. Should we go check on her?"

"No!" I shouted, before catching myself. They looked at me quizzically. "Sorry. Uh. I think she's… working on something."

"Working on what?"

"A school thing."

"Fat chance," snorted Pan. "She never leaves herself any homework for the weekend. Hey Goten, could you go check on her? I need to talk to Trunks quickly."

There was never any need to come up with a cover story for Goten. He was too clueless to ever be suspicious. He nodded, and headed toward the gravity chamber; I didn't bother trying to stop him. I'd done all I could to keep her secret. Honestly, everyone would figure it out sooner or later. As soon as she learned how to power up- which I'm sure would be soon- everyone would be able to detect it, no problem. Besides, my heart was already racing in anticipation- or possibly dread- over what Pan had to talk to me about. Bulla was the furthest thing from my mind.

"What's up?" I asked, once Goten was out of sight.

"I just wanted to chat about what happened the other day," she said, casually. She never got nervous over anything.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I feel pretty shitty about how I reacted. But I wasn't feeling awesome that day, and I had a million assignments due, and anyway, I just wanted to apologize."

I forced a smile. "No problem."

"No, I was being a shitty friend. I really am sorry. And I really do care about you."

Honestly, what sucked more than anything was when she said stuff like that. Not because she didn't mean it, but because she didn't mean it in the way I wanted her to. "Really, Pan, it's no big deal."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Er… no, not really."

"Are you sure? You seemed like you wanted to the other day."

God dammit. Let it go. "Nah, it's no biggie. Honest."

"If you're sure." She smiled. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

No. "Yes."

"Did you notice Bulla acting… strange, the other night?"

I pursed my lips. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. She was brattier than usual. And kind of… bitchy, to Goten. It was super weird. What was with the whole, _you're not my uncle_ thing?"

I really wish Pan hadn't remembered that. I also wish Bulla would have come up with her own lie, so I wouldn't need to. "I have no clue," was my lame response. "I haven't asked."

Silence. Why did I have to go and make things so fucking awkward the other day? I used to be so confident around Pan. Now I was a mumbling mess.

"Do you think something's going on with them?"

Only Pan could ask a question like that the same way someone would ask "Do you think she likes white bread or brown bread?"

"Honestly, Pan, I don't know. Goten hasn't said anything to me, and neither has Bulla, so…"

"Same here. Not that they would, though. Right? Being related to us and all?"

I nodded. "Probably not."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you seem weirded out by any of this? Don't you think it would be super messed up for Goten and Bulla to… you know…"

"I don't know. Do you think it would be?"

"They're just such opposites. And not in the opposites attract kind of way, like my grandma and grandpa. They literally have nothing in common. I mean, at least if you and I were to date, we'd both enjoy stuff like fighting, you know?" She laughed.

Jesus. Why. _Why_ did she have to talk like that?!

"Hah. No kidding." I desperately needed a way to get out of this conversation.

"Although, honestly, I would probably be the worst girlfriend ever, so it wouldn't work out anyway."

"Why do you say that?"

She seemed put off by my serious tone of voice. "Hah. Ummm. I don't know. I suck at cooking. I suck at cleaning. You're a million times smarter than me. Plus, I'd probably just hang out with your sister all the time."

I cracked a smile. "All valid points."

She punched my arm. "Hey! You're supposed to say, _That's not true, and by the way, these are my bad qualities_!"

"I don't _have_ any bad qualities."

"Oh, shut up. Workaholic, sexaholic, playboy?"

"Those are good qualities."

She rolled her eyes with a smile. "You've never been faithful to one girl in your entire life. I feel bad for the girl who thinks you could be."

Okay. Ouch. That stung. But good to know how she felt, I guess. Little did she know, I _had_ been faithful to one girl, for a very long time. Even if she didn't know it.

"I guess we could never be together, Trunks," she chuckled. "You'll come home after a long day of work to a messy house and no dinner, and I'll be off hanging out with Bulla, and you'll need to go find one of your skanks to help you take care of business. Such a shame!"

"Whoa! Don't say skanks, Pan. It's degrading."

She laughed. "All that, and that's the only part you find fault in?"

 _No. It's the only part I can say find fault in that won't make it obvious how I feel. Because I would never want to stay late at the office if you were waiting for me at home. And we could have all the cooks and housekeepers in the world. And you and Bulla and Goten could come over for dinner every night, and after they left, we could-_

"Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I forgot that you already… have someone in mind. I'm sure you'd be a great boyfriend, if you found the right girl."

I sighed. "Hey, should we go look for the others? They've been gone a while."

She nodded. "Good idea. Let's go. And Trunks?"

"Yeah?"

"I hope you know I was kidding earlier. Whoever ends up with you…. well, I just hope they realize how lucky they are."

And with that, I couldn't help but just stare at her, with a stupid grin I'm sure, unable to form a coherent sentence. She smiled back, though a bit awkwardly; she probably hadn't even realized the magnitude of what she'd said.

No matter what happened that made me think all hope was lost, she'd always do something that made me realize why all the torture I put myself through was worth it.

"Are you okay?" She asked, after a few moments.

I just nodded. "More than okay. And I'm excited to start training. Let's go grab your uncle."

* * *

 _I'm always conflicted between wanting to speed things up while also keeping the story believable. All I can do is stay true to the characters and hope it turns out right. :)_

 _Thanks for reading. Up next is a character whose head we haven't been inside yet!_


	6. Chapter 6

I know, I know. It's been forever. Life happens ;)

I apologize if it doesn't fit perfectly with the chapters before it. I did reread the story, but as I'm sure you can understand, I may have forgotten some things.

I hope you enjoy!

"Stupid piece of junk!" Bulma growled, punching the back up generator for the twentieth time. "Sorry, guys. Looks like we're out of power until the storm passes. The gravity chamber sucked up all the power quicker than I expected."

"Whatever," Vegeta grumbled. He turned on his heel and began walking down the hall toward the staircase. "Bulla, we'll finish this once the GR is back up."

Bulma sighed. "There's tons of food and supplies in the emergency capsule kit- help yourselves to whatever you need. And for the love of God- Goten, Pan, don't even think about flying home in this weather!"

"Oh Bulma, I wouldn't dream of putting you out in the middle of a huge power outage. It's just a bit of rain- we've flown through worse," I assured her.

She laughed. "Oh, I don't doubt that a bit. But come on- you sleep here half the time anyway. Just stay til tomorrow, at least. We have plenty of space for everyone. They're thinking this might turn into a minor hurricane, and I wouldn't want you caught in its wrath. Neither of your mothers would ever forgive me if I allowed it."

I looked at my uncle Goten; he shrugged. "Mom's at Gohan's, and definitely won't be making the trek home til this thing is over with. Dad's at King Kai's, of course- just when his instant transmission would be useful."

"It's settled, then!" Bulma decided with a smile. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't love having all you kids here. It feels just like old times... except now you're all grown up. Hey, when the heck am I getting grandkids!?"

I laughed; the others didn't. "Thanks Bulma. You're the best. I'll stay in the guest room, if that's okay?"

The closet of the "guest" room, just down the hall from Bulla's, was full of clothing that I'd left over the years. The ensuite was the same; stocked with my toiletries, left untouched by the housekeepers that went through every so often. I didn't have posters on the walls or anything- I wasn't that weird - but I doubted anyone else had stayed in that room in ages. It was nice to have an escape, a 'home away from home,' where every move I made wasn't being analyzed, where my five year plan wasn't the focal point of every conversation, and- most importantly, to me at least- achievements of the martial arts variety were celebrated and not discouraged.

Grandpa and Gramps, of course, were ecstatic that I enjoyed fighting. Even my mom did her best to support it, while also stressing the importance of academia ("you can't make a living training with Trunks and Goten all day"). Dad and Grandma, though... as much as they loved me, they only showed true pride in my abilities when I did well in school- not in the gym.

"Of course that's okay, hun. You know you never need to ask! The linens in there are clean and ready for you." She turned to my uncle. "Goten, the extra room in Trunks' suite has been cleaned out, too. Make yourselves at home, kay? Since I can't work in the lab, I'll be upstairs. The capsules are in the regular spot. Just holler if you guys need anything! Oh, and Trunks?"

Trunks raised his eyebrows, apparently surprised that his mother had anything to add.

"We have an excuse not to get back to our clients since it's the weekend - but come Monday, even a hurricane won't stop our distributors from badgering us about the next shipment. I need you to come up with a plan in case the power doesn't come back on, and be ready to tell me by midnight tonight."

"Of course. I've got a few ideas already."

Bulma nodded in response and, with a quick smile to the rest of us, followed her husband upstairs.

"Looks like we're having another slumber party!" I announced with a cheesy grin, expecting some eye rolls at the very least. Nobody was in the mood for corny jokes though, apparently.

After a slightly awkward silence (since when were things awkward between the four of us?), I started toward the guest room, figuring I could take a quick shower while there was still hot water in the tank. Just as I reached the top of the stairs, though, Bulla came rushing up behind me.

"Pan, I have something to tell you and I've got to do it before I lose my nerve. Okay?"

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant even though I was a little shocked. Bulla usually had no problem telling me exactly what was on her mind, even when she wasn't supposed to (like when she blabbed about Trunks having a thing for Nadine). "Of course, Bulla. What's up?"

"Well... maybe you should sit down," she cautioned, leading me into her room and shutting the door behind her.

* * *

"My UNCLE?!" I exclaimed, unable to control my tone of voice.

Bulla, red as a strawberry, covered her face with her hands and nodded.

"But... how? When? For how long? HOW?!" Seriously. Never in a million years would I have guessed that my best friend had a thing for my uncle _Goten_. Okay, yeah, their age gap wasn't crazy or anything. And sure, they did spend a ton of time together. But still... _ew_.

"I don't know, Pan!" Bulla groaned. "It wasn't like it happened in a day. I'm only telling you because my brother figured it out, and I think my dad has too, and I just didn't want you to accidentally hear it from one of them and think it's a bigger deal than it really is."

"How is this not a big deal?!" I demanded. "This is weird. Super weird. I don't know if I should be happy for Goten or sad for you."

"Sad for me?" Bulla asked, hurt in her eyes. "Why? Like, out of pity?"

"No, not like that! He would be so lucky to have you. Ridiculously, out of this world lucky. I meant sad, like..." I searched for the words. "You're a huge catch. You've got beauty and brains and an amazing work ethic and my uncle has literally none of those things. He doesn't exactly seem like your type."

Bulla pursed her lips for a moment. "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way."

"I'm trying to pay you a compliment! I'm trying to tell you that you could do better," I explained.

"Well, I appreciate the so-called compliment, if that's what you call it when someone tells you that you have low standards in men."

"That's not what I meant and you know it," I told her, rolling my eyes. "I love Goten and I love you. But think logically, here. Maybe you just _think_ you like him because he's the only guy you spend any time with. You should probably weigh your options a little. Have you ever even been on a date?!"

"Have _you_? Jesus, Pan! I'm not asking for his hand in marriage. I'm telling you that I have a thing for him. I can't believe I thought there was a chance you'd be supportive. God knows you gave my brother your blessing to ask out the girl _he_ likes!"

"Bulla, Trunks is thirty years old and has clearly had it bad for this girl for years. It's seriously messing him up. Plus, he's obviously been with enough women to know what he's looking for. Remember what he said the other night, about settling down? If my uncle is fine with him and Nadine, then so am I." I shrugged. "Totally different situation."

"You know what, Pan? Just forget it. Maybe Goten isn't the right guy for me, and maybe I'm not the right girl for him. I wish you could have shown some support anyway, but at least now I know how you feel. So thanks for that."

"I _am_ supportive, Bulla. I'm supportive of whatever makes you happy, I swear. As a friend, though, I'd rather not see you hold out for a guy who just got out of a relationship due to his commitment issues. I'm not saying you aren't right for one another-" even though honestly, I felt they were totally wrong for one another- "I'm just suggesting that you don't wait around for Goten when you're not even sure what you want in a relationship."

She nodded slowly, narrowing her eyes at me. "I hate when you're right, you know."

I snorted. "I don't know about being right. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Bulla smiled. "So what do you suggest? You know as well as I do that dating a regular guy would be ridiculously complicated."

"Tell me about it. I could bring a guy home no problem. Mom, dad, even Gramps- they would embarrass the hell out of me, but they could handle a boyfriend. But what the hell am I supposed to do if Buu wanders in, demanding chocolate? Or Grandpa instant transmits into the kitchen? How do I even begin to explain that?"

"I hear ya," she agreed. "My dad's grumpy attitude would be the least of my worries. What if Lord Beerus decides to wake up early from his nap and show up here threatening total destruction unless we feed him? What if some alien freak attacks earth, and I have to tell my boyfriend not to worry because, hey, we're related to some other aliens who happen to have the power of dieties?"

I smirked. "Hey, maybe you're onto something with your crush on Goten. Think of how easy that transition would be! Too bad you don't have an uncle I could date."

Bulla cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah. Too bad I don't have _any_ single male relatives who you could _easily_ -"

"NOPE!" I exclaimed, only about a million decibels too loud, when it dawned on me who she was referring to. "No. Absolutely not."

"What?" Bulla whined. "But why not?"

"Why _not_? Where do I start?!" I wasn't blind; Trunks was handsome. Everyone knew it, including him. And yes, of course we got along; he was one of my best friends. "To be honest with you, I've never even considered it. He's got a certain reputation, and I've never really thought of myself as a 'notch on the bedpost' kind of girl."

Bulla sighed. "Okay, you're not wrong there. And I don't blame you. But you said yourself that he's changed..."

"Yeah, because he's fallen madly in love with someone- not because he's decided to start treating every woman with the respect they deserve."

Bulla seemed annoyed. "Just because he hasn't settled down doesn't mean he doesn't respect women; everyone he's been with has known exactly what he's about. And as far as Nadine goes- even if he were to make a move, he'd have to wait a decent amount of time. I bet he'd welcome a distraction 'til then."

I shook my head incredulously. "I'm not exactly interested in being a distraction. And, no hard feelings, but I'm especially not interested in being a distraction for your _brother_."

"Come on. If you expect me to start dating in order to figure out what I want from a relationship, shouldn't you give it a shot, too? I mean, it's only fair."

I felt like I was going into shock. How did this conversation wind up with Bulla trying to convince me to go out with Trunks, of all people? And was I seriously considering it?!

Had I ever thought of him in that way?

If I was being honest with myself... no. I hadn't.

I was just a kid when Trunks began living his famous playboy lifestyle. I'd never really known him to be anything different. I never imagined myself being with him, because I could never imagine myself having a one-night-stand.

Besides that... he really was one of my best friends. Could I ever risk ruining our friendship?

"Thanks, but no thanks," I finally muttered.

Just because I'd never been with anyone before didn't mean I didn't _want_ to be. Every time I met a guy who I thought might be worth a shot, I chickened out- mainly for the reasons I'd just told Bulla.

But also... well, I was a 19-year-old virgin. I knew that wasn't uncommon, and I wasn't embarrassed by it, but it _did_ make starting a relationship that much more difficult. At this age, guys tended to assume that sex was no big deal. Some of my friends would do it after a first date, if it went well enough! How would I explain to a guy that I'd want to wait weeks... even months... before I was ready for that? Would they still be interested? How do you tell that to someone after only meeting them a handful of times?

Maybe it was old fashioned, but I wanted to wait until I loved and trusted someone, totally and completely, before I took that step. Being vulnerable wasn't something I enjoyed- in fact, I made a point of avoiding it as much as possible.

If I kept up that mindset, though, I would never do it. I was an adult now; it was time. I wanted to. I was ready.

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a blur.

After I turned down Bulla's suggestion of dating her brother, we talked a little more about her and Goten.

Turns out, aside from the minor detail that Goten had never shown interest, they weren't entirely ill-suited like I'd originally thought. Okay, so they didn't exactly have any common interests, and they weren't in similar life stages. Bulla was an academic and Goten wasn't. Bulla tended to overthink things that Goten didn't think about at all.

Still, they were great friends regardless. They spent lots of time in each other's company and never got sick of it. They made each other laugh. They were both kind, caring, awesome people. Maybe that was enough.

I excused myself back to my room for the rest of the afternoon to get some homework done. Bulla lent me her textbook, and I found a calculator in the bottom of a desk drawer. I desperately needed to get my mind off the nagging thoughts in my head, and excruciatingly boring (and difficult) math equations were the perfect way to do that.

Shortly after my conversation with Bulla, I had made a decision- a promise to myself- and I knew if I gave it too much consideration, I'd change my mind. Not because it was a bad decision, but because I was a major wuss.

Bulma knocked on my door at six-thirty- the hours really _had_ flown by- and let me know that dinner was ready, if I wanted it. I thanked her, packed up my work, and made my way downstairs to the dining room.

The rain and wind hadn't calmed down at all; in fact, they appeared to be getting worse. There was no chance that the power would be coming back on anytime soon. Vegeta, Bulma informed us, had gone to train with Whis in the meantime. I was sure Grandpa would join him immediately once King Kai gave him the heads up.

I tried my best to act normal, but I knew I was failing miserably. My voice was either too loud or too quiet, and my tiny appetite- a result of my nervous stomach- did not go unnoticed.

"Are you feeling okay, Pan?" My uncle asked, looking at my mostly untouched plate of food.

"I'm fine," I mumbled, forcing myself to take another bite. "Sorry. I must stil be thinking about my school work."

Bulla laughed out loud. "That's a first!"

I shot her a look.

"You know, you can still train in the gravity room even with the gravity off," Bulma pointed out. "It's virtually indestructable. Why don't you kids go burn off some steam?"

Goten and Trunks grinned at one another, then looked at me expectantly. "I'll pass, actually, if you don't mind," I told them. "I'm kind of tired."

Everyone at the table gave each other not-so-subtle side glances. "You sure everything's okay?" Goten asked again.

"Honestly, everything is totally fine."

"She's just using her brain for the first time. It must be exhausting," Bulla giggled.

"Ha-ha," was the best comeback I could muster. Her explanation seemed to appease everyone else, so I didn't want to dispute it.

"Don't listen to my brat of a daughter," Bulma told me, patting my arm. "If you're tired, hon, go have a nap."

"I might just do that," I said. "Excuse me, everyone."

I hadn't even had time to collapse onto the bed before Bulla swung the door open. "What the hell's going on?"

"Nothing," I said, for the upteenth time.

"Yeah right. Does this have anything to do with our conversation earlier?"

"No," I lied.

"You're upset with me liking Goten, aren't you?"

"What? No!" That, at least, was the truth.

"Just tell me. We're best friends. You know I'm going to find out one way or another."

She wasn't wrong. And, just like she told me about Goten before I found out about it myself, I considered telling her my plan... however, on second thought, there was a good chance my plan wouldn't work out. It would be even worse if she found out I'd failed.

"I will tell you, Bulla," I promised. "Just not right now. Give me some time."

"Some time? Ha!" she shook her head. "I'll give you twenty-four hours."

"You can't just give me some arbitrary time limit. I'll tell you when I'm ready!"

"Just be grateful I didn't give you twelve." She gave me a cheeky grin. "Expect me here at precisely-" she glanced at the clock- "seven twenty-six tomorrow evening. Don't be late."

Before I could protest, she had already left and shut the door behind her.

Damn. If I was really going to do this, I needed to prepare.

* * *

After showering (the water was cold), carefully blow-drying my hair (I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that Bulma had a cordless blow dryer in her emergency capsule kit), and brushing (and flossing!) my teeth, I was faced with the decision of whether or not to apply makeup.

Makeup was not my thing. I only wore it for special occasions. Was this a special occasion? Was it weird that I was asking myself if this was going to be a special occasion?

I dug through the drawers of the bathroom vanity, wondering if I had left any makeup here. I found a tube of neutral-coloured lipstick, some mascara, and a compact of cream blush from Christmas last year. I felt that would be adequate- tonight was certainly not the night to be experimenting with a smokey eye.

I opened the closet, full of clothes that Bulla had forced me to wear during various nights out over the years. Some of the outfits I wouldn't be caught dead in ever again, but there were a few more inoffensive pieces.

I grabbed a pair of plain dark jeans that I was sure still fit me, along with a black tank top that thankfully had no logos or sequins plastered across the front. Smiling, I reached into the bottom drawer of the wardrobe, where I knew my one and only push-up bra still lived. If there was ever a time to wear it...

I looked at myself in the mirror. Getting ready was a good distraction, but there was no way to put this off any longer. It was time to go.

I turned the doorknob, not wanting to alert anybody to my presence, and slipped out. Bulla's door was shut but I could tell the light was still on; hopefully she didn't hear me leave.

I padded down the stairs, avoiding the living room where I heard the nightly news blaring from the television. Bulma must have still been up. I crept, quietly as I could, down the hall and paused outside the door.

My stomach was in knots; my hands were clammy. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could hear how uneven my breaths were. Could I really do this?

Before I had time to answer that question, the door in front of me opened.

And I was face-to-face with my uncle Goten.

* * *

How on earth could I have forgotten that Goten was staying in Trunks' suite?!

"Hi," I finally stammered. We were both looking at each other like deer caught in headlights.

"Hi, he replied, his voice smoother than mine was. "What are you doing out here?"

I blinked. "Um, you know. Just coming to say hi. I was bored."

Goten narrowed his eyes. "Feeling better?"

"Much." I tried to peek aound him, but Trunks was no where to be seen. "What are you guys doing?"

He shrugged. "Trunks is working. I just watched a movie on my phone, but the battery's dead now."

"Where were you going?"

Now it was his turn to search for an excuse. "Just grabbing a snack."

"It looks like there's tons here," I pointed out, gesturing to the kitchen where I'd seen food piled on the counter.

He nodded. "You got me there." A goofy grin. "Guess I'll just stay, then."

Shit.

"Um, well, okay then."

We walked together into the living room; Trunks, who must have heard us talking, walked out of his office to greet us.

"You going out, Pan?"

Shit.

"Um..." I glanced down at myself; this was certainly not my regular attire. "We were thinking about it."

Goten's head snapped toward me. "Where would you possibly be going in a city wide power outage?"

 _Shit_.

"Okay, you caught me. Bulla was bored so she decided to... doll me up."

They looked at one another and shrugged, as if neither of them had any clue whether or not that was something women did for fun. "Anyway, what do you guys want to do?" Trunks finally asked. "Is Bulla still up?"

NO. No more people. And certainly not Bulla. How was this going so terribly wrong already?

"I'm not sure," I lied, "but my cell is dead, too. Goten, why don't you run up to her room and check?"

It may have been that I was looking for it, after the conversation I'd had with Bulla earlier that day, but I swear I saw a bit of colour rise in his cheeks.

"Good idea. Invite her to play some board games or something, yeah?" Trunks suggested.

Goten nodded and, without another word, left the suite.

"Water?" Trunks offered, walking into the kitchen.

"I'd love some, thanks." The minute his back was turned, I jumped up and locked the door that Goten had just exited. I just needed a few moments without any interruptions.

"Feeling better?" He asked as he returned, handing me glass.

"Yes, thanks." I took a long sip.

Silence. Goten and Bulla would be back any moment and then I would be out of time. Chickening out was looking better and better by the second.

No. No chickening out. I wanted this, I truly did.

"Do you have anything stronger than water?" I asked, knowing full well that he did.

He raised an eyebrow, but walked to the bar. "Anything in particular?"

I shook my head. Anything with alcohol would do.

"You're not much of a drinker, Pan," Trunks pointed out casually. "Are you sure everything is okay?"

I smelled the contents of the glass he handed me and made a face at how strong it was. I downed it in one gulp, doing my best not to taste it. I shuddered; yuck.

"I have a favour to ask," I finally blurted out. There it was.

He looked surprised. "Uh, sure. Anything. What's up?"

I fixed my gaze on my lap and began picking at a loose thread on the hem of my shirt.

"Pan, you're worrying me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," I squeaked.

"For God's sake Pan, just spit it out! What's your favour?"

I took a deep breath, gathering all the courage I had, and looked him in the eye.

"Trunks, I know this sounds insane, but..." I cleared my throat. It was now or never. "I was hoping... you would sleep with me."


	7. Chapter 7

Trunks' jaw dropped.

"Just hear me out, okay? I've been thinking, and I really, really want this."

He blinked. Once. Twice. "You... you _want_ this?"

"My stupid virtue is getting in the way of starting a relationship," I explained quickly, before he started getting the wrong idea. "I don't want my first time to be with some random guy... I want it to be with someone I know and trust. Once I get it out of the way, it won't be such a huge deal to do it with someone else."

Trunks nodded slowly, but didn't respond.

"I just figure that you're experienced, and it would be way less awkward if _one_ of us knew what we were doing." Now I was babbling like an idiot. "And don't worry, it won't mean a thing. I won't sleep over afterward, I won't bring it up ever again, things can go back to normal. After we're done, we can pretend it never happened. No big deal."

"No big deal," he repeated, rubbing the stubble on his face.

"I know we just had that conversation about Nadine yesterday, and sleeping with somebody else probably isn't at the forefront of your mind right now, but I swear she will _never_ have to know."

The corner of his mouth lifted into a half-smile. "That's not what I'm worried about."

"But you are worried," I sighed. Of course. "About what, exactly?"

"Well, for starters, I have a feeling you haven't really thought this thing through. Obviously it _is_ a big deal, or else you would have done it already."

"For your information, I _have_ thought it through- enough to know that this is what I want. You're one of my best friends. I trust you. I know you wouldn't hurt me. I _want_ this," I repeated.

Trunks smiled. "I'm flattered. I really am. But my answer is no."

I felt the colour drain from my face. I couldn't believe it. I was being _rejected_?! I knew it was a possibility... but I'd thought it was kind of a far-off, distant possibility. I mean really, he could do (and had done) WAY worse than me.

Maybe he just didn't understand. "Trunks, I've already told you that I have zero expectations-"

"But you _should_ have expectations, Pan-"

"That's not for you to decide! The most important thing to me is that this happens on _my_ terms with the person _I_ want it to happen with. If you're saying no because you're attracted to me in that way, then say so." I pursed my lips for a moment, considering. "Actually, on second, thought, don't. My ego probably couldn't handle it at this point."

Trunks rolled his eyes. "It's not about whether or not I'm attracted to you, Pan. Sex is about more than just that."

I scoffed. "Really? You, of all people, are going to try and give me a lecture about that?"

A look of hurt briefly crossed his face. "What do you want me to say?"

"Honestly? I thought your standards were a lot lower than this. I was kind of hoping you would just agree and we would be in there-" I pointed to his bedroom door- "by now."

He laughed. _Laughed_. In my face!

"What is so funny?" I demanded.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." He got his laughter under control, but said nothing more.

"I think I need another drink," I finally told him.

"No, you don't," he assured me.

"Oh, what do you know?" I mumbled. "You weren't the one who was just _rejected._ "

"I didn't reject you."

I looked up incredulously. "Are you kidding? I asked you to sleep with me and you told me you didn't want to. If that's not rejection..."

"I never said I didn't want to!" He exclaimed, all traces of humour gone. "I'd be surprised if there was a man on this earth that wouldn't _want_ to."

He was obviously just trying to boost my confidence after turning me down. "Whatever you say."

"I just wouldn't want it to happen like... like this. Having sex with you just because I happen to be the most convenient option? No. I respect you- and myself- too much for that."

I rolled my eyes. "It's not like you're taking advantage. In case you forgot, _I_ asked _you_."

"Believe it or not, it's not just about you, Pan. How would you feel if someone approached you, asking for the same thing you just asked me? In the exact same terms?"

I thought about it. "I guess... I guess I would feel like they were... using me, a bit."

"I think it's awesome that you want this to happen on your terms," he told me. "I also think it's awesome that you're waiting for the right guy to come along. Clearly, though, I am not that guy."

"What makes you say that? Didn't I start this whole conversation trying to butter you up by listing your many wonderful qualities and why I find them appealing?"

"I remember. You trust me. You respect me. We're best friends." He smiled. "You also want to just get this over with and then pretend it never happened. That's not what you're supposed to want when you've found the right person."

Wasn't Trunks the kind of guy who would prefer it that way? Since when did he become Mr. Sensitive? "I'm surprised that you're making this into such a big deal. Haven't you lost count of how many women have given you the exact same proposition I just did?"

"Maybe," he admitted. "But I've never said yes."

"What?!"

"Why is that so hard to believe?" he laughed.

"You're telling me you've _never_ been someone's... first time?"

"Never."

"Why not?"

He seemed to be pondering whether or not to tell me the truth. "This makes me sound like an ass, but I'll be honest. I was worried they might get attached... and want more."

Wow. "I guess I can't blame you for rejecting me, then. Wouldn't want me becoming obsessed with you or anything horrible like that."

Trunks let out an exasperated sigh. "I didn't say no to you because I'm worried you'll become obsessed with me. You made it very clear that you aren't interested in me like that."

"Then what do I need to do to convince you?" I asked. "Because honestly, Trunks I didn't expect to beg."

"Begging won't help your case- although it would be fun to listen to," he added with a grin. "My answer is still no, Pan. For several reasons. Once of which is that we are expecting my sister and your uncle to return at any moment."

Ugh. Right. Them.

As if on cue, the doorknob rattled. I jumped up and ran to unlock it before they started wondering why it was locked in the first place; _clearly_ , nothing was going on in here.

I expected Bulla and Goten to be waiting on the other side of the door; instead, it was Bulma smiling back at me.

"Sorry to barge in, kids," she said, walking past me toward her son. "I'm just wondering if you've finished up that statement yet."

Trunks nodded, stood, and walked into his office, leaving me alone with his mother.

"You look nice, hon," she told me, with suspicion in her eyes.

"Oh! Er, thanks," I blushed.

"I expect you're feeling a little better?"

"Much. I think I just needed some sleep, or something."

"Or something," she agreed, grinning. "Well, whatever it was, I'm glad to hear it. Has Goten gone to bed already? I just went upstairs to check on Bulla, and she must have gone to sleep- her door is closed and her light is off."

Wait. What!? If she was in her room with the light off, then where the hell was Goten? "Uh... yeah!" I lied. "He must have turned in early. I was just... heading up to bed myself."

"No, no! Don't leave on my account. I just need to have a quick chat with Trunks and I'll be turning in." She still had that mischievous look in her eye. What exactly did she think was going on here?

"No, really. I'm beat. If you'll just tell Trunks that I-"

"Tell me what?" Trunks interrupted, walking back into the living room and handing his mom a file folder. "Pan had a few questions about her homework," he explained. "I'm helping her out."

Clearly, that was not the explanation for my presence that Bulma had been expecting. "Oh! Well, good for you, Pan. I'm glad to hear it." She cleared her throat and briefly glanced at the contents of the folder she'd just been given. "Good night, you guys. See you in the morning."

With a parting smile, she walked out, closing the door behind her. I could barely wait ten seconds before exclaiming, "Did you hear that?! Bulla's light is off and her door is shut. Goten's still here. Bulla told me she was interested but I didn't think- I mean, do you think they could be-"

"I don't want to think about it," Trunks interrupted. "Seriously, though, how dumb are they? Do they really think we won't notice if they both disappear for the night with no explanation?"

I laughed. "Well, my uncle is pretty dumb, I'll give you that. Bulla, not so much. He must not have given her the message. I doubt she knows that we're expecting them both down here."

"Okay. Enough. Change the subject please." He shuddered.

"Now I'm scared to go back up there. My room is basically next to hers!"

"Well, as much as I _hope_ they aren't doing anything," he said, "if you want, you can stay down here." He nodded in the direction of the guest room that Goten was supposed to be sleeping in.

I considered. I supposed it was the lesser of two evils. "Uh, sure, I guess," I shrugged. "Huh. This is the exact opposite of how I expected the night to go."

Trunks laughed. "What do you mean?"

"I expected to have sex and then leave. Not hang out and sleep over."

This just made him laugh harder, which of course did nothing to heal my shattered ego, and I rolled my eyes. "I'm going to bed, I guess," I announced, stopping his laughter dead in its tracks.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked.

"No. I'm not mad at you," I replied. "I'm- I'm mad at myself."

"At yourself? Why?" Trunks looked bewildered.

"I wish I never would have asked. I feel like an idiot."

"Oh, Pan, don't," he pleaded. "You're not an idiot. And honestly, I'm happy that you trust me enough to ask me. I just want to make sure your first time is special. It should-" he hesitated- "it should be with someone you love."

He wasn't getting it. "Trunks, listen to me." I took a deep breath, walked over to where he stood, and reached for his hand; I could feel his pulse racing beneath my fingers. Why was his pulse racing? I was the one who was about to humiliate myself even further. "I'm sorry for asking you the way that I did. But I swear, I wasn't asking just because you're the most convenient option. I asked you because there is no one else on earth I would rather my first time be with. I knew that you'd respect me. I knew that I could trust you, totally and completely. I may not be _in_ love with you, but I do love you. And I knew that no matter what happened between us tonight, we would have still been best friends tomorrow."

His expression began to change; soften, maybe. He swallowed, but didn't reply.

"I understand why you said no. I respect your decision. I just want you to know that I would never use you. Ever. Just like you would never use me. Like you said- we respect each other too much for that."

Trunks took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, wrapping his hand around mine. He still seemed unsure, but perhaps less so than before. I said nothing; I wanted the next move to be his.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke.

"Okay."

"Okay, what?" I asked.

"If that's truly how you feel, then... then I'm saying yes."

Oh my god. Oh my god! Alright. Calm down Pan.

"Really?" I whispered, knowing I wouldn't be able to keep my voice even if I spoke out loud. My heart was going a mile a minute. My stomach filled with butterflies.

He looked at me and gave a half-hearted smile. I had no idea what to say. Oh, no. This was already awkward.

"If you change your mind at any point- if you start having second thoughts- just promise that you'll tell me."

"I promise." Was this really happening? My world had just been turned upside down.

He nodded. "Alright, then. Shall we?"

"Um. Sure." Oops. Way to sound confident. "I mean, yes. Absolutely. We shall."

We _shall_?! What was _wrong_ with me?

He smiled; I guess he figured now wasn't the time to make fun of me for acting like a dork, though. I allowed him to lead me by the hand into his bedroom.

We were going to do it. We were going to do it! I was equally excited and terrified at the prospect.

He closed the door behind me. Suddenly, now, in his bedroom, with a single candle burning for light, it all became very real.

"Um, Trunks?"

"Yeah?"

"I- I don't know what I'm doing," I stammered.

"I kind of figured you wouldn't," he replied with a half-grin.

"Just... tell me if I'm doing anything wrong, okay? I know this won't be the night of your life, but I don't want it to be horrible for you."

"It won't be horrible," he promised.

"Well. Alright then." I bit my lip and looked down. "I guess we can... er, go ahead then."

He sat down on the edge of his bed. "Are you absolutely sure about this? We can stop any time, just say the word."

"I'm sure," I murmured. I stepped forward and sat down next to him. There were only a few inches separating us, but it felt like miles.

We sat in silence for a few more seconds.

"I guess this isn't the usual way this sort of thing begins, huh?"

Trunks let out a low laugh. "No. It isn't."

I drummed my fingers on the bedspread. "I'm just going to follow your lead, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed, his voice husky. He turned to face me; his expression was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. There was a new passion in his eyes. It was kind of sexy.

Huh. No wonder he could get so many girls in this bedroom...

Okay, ew. _Do not think about all the other girls that have been in this bedroom._

I kept my eyes trained on his; I didn't want to show weakness, to show any uncertainty. He raised his arm and tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear before wrapping his hand around the back of my neck. "You are beautiful," he breathed.

And I didn't care if it was just a line; the same three words he said to every woman before sleeping with them. It was enough for me to melt into him, to close my eyes and lean in, allowing him to take complete control.

I half expected his lips to crash onto mine, the way they did in movies. But this wasn't anything like a movie. He kissed me gently, softly, not forceful in the least. I let my mouth fall open, and the kiss deepened; I lifted my hand off my lap and placed it on the hem of his shirt.

He pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. He allowed me to lift up his shirt up and over his head, and although I'd seen him topless a million times, this was the first time I'd reached out and placed my hand on his chest. His heart thudded beneath my palm; his breathing was fast.

He placed his hand on my shoulder, asking me with his eyes if he could take the next step. I nodded, almost imperceptibly, and he allowed his fingers to trail down my back, down to where my tank top met my jeans. He grasped the shirt in his hands and pulled it off of me in one fluid motion.

He glanced down at my chest, where my ridiculous push-up bra was, judging by his expression, apparently doing a fantastic job. He returned his gaze to my face, and I smiled, encouraging him to go on.

Rather than removing the rest of my clothing as I'd expected him to, he surprised me by reaching his arm around my back and pulling me up the bed, so quickly I didn't have time to realize what he was doing. I was suddenly on my back, my head on a pillow, Trunks on top of me. I expected to feel crowded, uncomfortable, awkward- but I didn't; not at all. His weight was resting on his right arm, placed beside my head; his left hand was still wrapped around my waist. He wasn't pressing me into the bed; in fact, he was barely touching me at all- just enough so I could feel his warm skin against mine.

Trunks kissed me again- perhaps a bit more urgently than before, but still gentle. I couldn't help it; I buried my hands in his hair and pulled him harder against me. He responded by pulling his arm out from beneath my waist and resting his palm on my bare stomach. I didn't slow down; I wanted him to keep going. This was all feeling _much_ better than I imagined it would.

His hand drifted up, working its way to my bra strap, and pulled it down over my shoulder. He pulled away from my lips and kissed down my neck, toward my opposite shoulder, and pulled my strap down there as well. It was odd; my bra was still clasped in the back, my breasts completely covered, and yet I felt as good as naked as he kissed along my collarbones.

I closed my eyes as he kissed down my body, pausing once he reached the waistband of my pants. I glanced down to see him looking up at me. "Okay?" was all he asked.

"Okay," I breathed, and he popped open the button, pulled down the zipper, and as I lifted my hips up off the bed, he began working my jeans down.

I wanted to hug myself for coming up with this idea. Trunks knew exactly what he was doing- he didn't need to worry about it being enjoyable for me. Everything was perfect. Sure, I was a little self conscious- who wouldn't be?- but everything felt natural.

After my jeans were off, I reached down and unbuttoned his pants, just as he'd done. He flipped on his back and pulled them down himself, tossing them on the ground next to mine.

Aside from our underwear, we were now almost completely naked. He laid down on top of me again, pressing his lips against mine once more, and as confident as I was in my decision to move forward I still had a knot in my stomach. I'd heard enough stories to know that the next part would most certainly not be enjoyable- and although I expected it, I wasn't exactly looking forward to it.

He reached behind my back and unhooked my bra, then brought the straps down and off of my arms. He then rolled us both over so that I was straddling him, and he pulled me close, my bare breasts pressing against the muscles of his chest. His lips did crash onto mine, then; I could feel, beneath me, that he was as ready as I was.

Without breaking the kiss, he removed his hand from my hair and I heard him reach into the nightstand beside the bed. He fumbled for a bit- and after a few moments, I pulled back.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

Trunks smiled sheepishly. "Believe it or not, we, uh... can't actually do this."

I blinked. "What?"

He brushed the backs of his fingers against my cheek. "I'm sorry."

I sat up, still straddling his hips, and peered over into to the nightstand drawer he'd been digging through- and saw that it was empty. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me-"

"Yep," he responded. "That's exactly what I'm telling you."

I needed a moment to digest this. Was this entire thing coming to a screeching halt because Trunks Briefs had _run out_ of condoms? How was that even _possible_?

Trunks didn't seem to feel that put out by the whole thing. He was still smiling! I, on the other hand, must not have been concealing my own disappointment very well.

"I'm sorry," Trunks said again.

I rolled off of him; suddenly I was completely self conscious of my naked body. "It's okay," I replied, because what else could I say?

I sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from him, and picked up my clothes. There was nothing much else to do. I dressed myself, slowly, still in shock that after everything, _this_ was how the night was going to end.

I finally turned to face him, his jeans and t-shirt in my hands, and noticed that he looked more sad than disappointed. I placed his clothes on the bed. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow," I muttered. I couldn't have been more embarrassed.

He took a deep breath. "I really am sorry," he repeated.

"Don't be sorry," I told him. "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's not like you expected all this to happen tonight. You didn't have time to prepare."

He shrugged his t-shirt on over his head. "I guess so."

"Well, let's just be glad it's not Nadine who you brought into bed with you tonight. That would have been _way_ worse."

He took a deep breath and sighed. He suddenly looked very tired. "I guess I'll see you in the morning?"

Why was I suddenly disappointed that I wouldn't be staying down here with him? I gave him a half-smile and left his room, walking toward the main door. I couldn't believe this. Why did I want to stay? What was there left to do?

I opened the door and walked out before I could second-guess myself. I half-walked, half-ran up the stairs toward the guest room. I ripped off my jeans and top and jumped under the covers. I couldn't face my reflection in the bathroom mirror; I would survive one night without getting ready for bed.

There was something seriously wrong with me. Seriously wrong.

I knew exactly why I wanted to stay down there with Trunks. It was because I was exactly like all those other girls, the ones he'd rejected because he was worried they'd get attached. God, imagine if we'd actually done it?! I would be a wreck.

I was already replaying everything in my mind. The kissing, the touching, all of it. He had made me feel things I didn't even know were possible. I loved it all. Despite the horrible embarrassment, I would do it all again- and wanted to do more.

And I knew he didn't. I knew, if he was truly in love with another woman, that he didn't feel the same way about tonight that I did.

I knew this is probably why he tried to turn me down in the first place.

I knew that the only reason he said yes was because I promised it wouldn't change anything between us.

And I knew, much as I tried not to think of it, that as I fell asleep thinking of him... he was thinking of someone else.


End file.
